The Vancouver Sun reports in its Wednesday edition that defendants in a civil suit by the province to seize a Salt Spring Island property allegedly linked to a $200-million-plus international stock fraud say the case should be dismissed for lack of evidence and abuse of process. The Sun's Gordon Hoekstra writes that the B.C. Civil Forfeiture Office's lawsuit filed in B.C. Supreme Court alleges a Salt Spring property is the proceeds of crime and was used to launder money. The lawsuit says the money to pay for the then-$1.15-million house in 2014 and undertake $526,000 in renovations came from a $164-million (U.S.) pump-and-dump stock fraud that used shell companies to hide the beneficial owners of the shares. Accused in the civil forfeiture lawsuit in British Columbia are Skye Lee, also known as Geordie Lee; Alicia Lee, spouse of Skye; Beresford Estates, which owns the house; and Vincent Manalastas, the sole director of Beresford Estates, believed to be living in the Philippines. In their three separate responses filed Feb. 14, Skye Lee, Alicia Lee and Mr. Beresford deny all allegations. There have been no criminal charges filed in B.C. The stock fraud was uncovered by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.