The British Columbia Securities Commission announced that Brent Wai Keun Chow, a Coquitlam resident, pleaded guilty in Vancouver Provincial Court to unregistered trading and illegal distribution under British Columbia’s Securities Act following a commission investigation. The case centered on Chow’s fundraising through Owl Investment Club for Lower Mainland real estate development even though he was not registered with the commission and neither he nor his company had filed a prospectus. From late October 2017 to March 2018, Chow solicited and accepted CAD 850,000 from three investors for the purchase and development of a South Vancouver property. He issued promissory notes to two investors covering CAD 350,000 and entered into a joint venture agreement with a third investor for CAD 500,000. In April 2018, Chow and Owl Investment Club used investor money to fund part of the first CAD 1 million installment of a CAD 2 million non-refundable deposit after their offer to buy the property was accepted. The transaction collapsed the next month when Chow could not secure financing for the second deposit installment or the remaining CAD 30.5 million purchase price, and the CAD 1 million deposit was not recovered before Owl Investment Club entered bankruptcy in October 2019. Chow was fined CAD 6,000 for unregistered trading and CAD 3,000 for illegal distribution, with a 15 per cent victim fine surcharge applied to both amounts. He was also placed on probation for two years, with conditions including bans on contacting the victims, operating a private investment club, and selling, promoting, buying, trading or distributing securities or engaging in investor relations activities.
British Columbia Securities Commission2026-07-06
British Columbia Securities Commission secures guilty plea and sentencing over CAD 850000 in unregistered real estate securities fundraising
The British Columbia Securities Commission said Brent Wai Keun Chow pleaded guilty and was sentenced for unregistered trading and illegal distribution tied to CAD 850,000 raised from three investors for a South Vancouver property deal. The transaction failed after financing could not be secured, and investor funds were used toward a non-refundable deposit that was not recovered. Chow was fined CAD 9,000 in total, plus a 15 per cent victim fine surcharge, and placed on two years of probation with market access restrictions.