Coquitlam man pleads guilty, is sentenced for unregistered trading and illegal distribution

VANCOUVER, BC, July 6, 2026 /CNW/ - A Coquitlam resident has pleaded guilty and been sentenced for trading securities without being registered and illegally distributing securities, following an investigation by the BC Securities Commission (BCSC).

Brent Wai Keun Chow, 46, appeared before a judge June 30 in Vancouver Provincial Court, and pleaded guilty to two offences under B.C.'s Securities Act.

Chow was the sole director and president of a B.C.-numbered company doing business as Owl Investment Club, which was set up by to raise capital to fund various real estate developments in the Lower Mainland.

From late October 2017 to March 2018, Chow solicited and accepted money from two investors for the purchase and development of a property in South Vancouver. Chow provided those investors with promissory notes for their investments totalling $350,000. In March 2018, Chow also entered into a joint venture agreement with another investor, who provided an additional $500,000 for development of the same South Vancouver property.

In April 2018, an offer by Chow and Owl Investment Club to purchase the South Vancouver property was accepted, and they used the investors' funds to pay part of the first instalment of $1 million of a $2-million non-refundable deposit on the property.

The deal collapsed the following month after Chow was unable to secure financing to pay the second instalment of the deposit nor the remaining $30.5 million to complete the purchase.

Chow and Owl Investment Club were unable to recover any of the $1 million deposit from the sellers before Owl Investment Club declared bankruptcy in October 2019.

At no time was Chow registered with the BCSC, and neither he nor his company filed a prospectus – a formal, legal document providing details of an investment – with the BCSC.

Chow was sentenced to a $6,000 fine for unregistered trading and a $3,000 fine for illegal distribution, plus a 15 per cent victim fine surcharge on both amounts. He is also subject to two years of probation, including conditions that prohibit him from contacting the victims, operating a private investment club, selling, promoting, buying, trading or distributing securities, or engaging in any investor relations activities, among other things.

About the BC Securities Commission (bcsc.bc.ca) 

The BC Securities Commission, an independent provincial government agency, strives to make the investment market benefit the public. We set rules, monitor compliance by industry, take action against misconduct, and provide guidance to investors and industry. As guardians of B.C.'s investment market, we're committed to maintaining a market that is honest, fair, competitive and dynamic, enabling British Columbians to thrive.  

Learn how to protect yourself and become a more informed investor at www.investright.org

SOURCE British Columbia Securities Commission

Media Contact: Brian Kladko, 604-899-6713; Public inquiries: 604-899-6854 or 1-800-373-6393 (toll free), [email protected]