Bar Manager Pleads Guilty

Alvin Jackson Goh pleaded guilty to theft over $5,000, laundering proceeds of crime and possession of credit card data Feb. 7, according to court documents obtained by the Edmonton Journal.

According to an agreed statement of facts, Goh stole cash from registers and bags of money from a vault, committing 208 thefts as a Dominion Sportservices employee.

He oversaw six other supervisors as bar manager and would void sales and manipulate inventory to cover up his thefts over a period of years, allegedly telling staff he did so to “keep the bar honest” from employees who might steal.

But Goh was the one stealing, and reportedly took $1,000 to $2,500 each time plus more than $500,000 from the vault, often during major events and concerts at the arena.

“These crimes were committed out of pure greed,” Crown prosecutor James Pickard said in court. “These thefts were for the purpose of paying for Mr. Goh’s lavish lifestyle. The thefts were planned, organized and premeditated. Mr. Goh actually evolved during this time to avoid detection.”

Goh was promoted in 2011 and caught in 2012 after Dominion Sportservices began an investigation into a vault theft.

Though he agreed to surrender to police to be charged in 2013, Goh instead flew to London, England, and attempted to obtain a Chinese visa, the Journal reported.

He was later arrested by Interpol. In court, he admitted the money was spent on trips around the world, a lavish wedding ceremony in New York City, concert tickets, jewelry and a $109,000 horse for his father-in-law.