Versace, Louis Vuitton, Gucci: Haul of luxury goods seized from B.C. sex workers allegedly involved in extortion scheme, lawsuit says

A silver Rokko cheetah from Versace, which retails for $775, is seen in an image from the company's website.

More than $267,000 in cash and a massive collection of designer clothes, shoes and accessories were seized during an investigation into an alleged “criminal organization” of Vancouver sex workers who extorted their clients, according to court documents.

Details of the alleged extortion scheme are detailed in a 61-page lawsuit from B.C.’s Director of Civil Forfeiture – 47 pages of which are used to list every item seized by police, including quilted combat boots and rhinestone track pants from Gucci, a gold monogrammed bikini from Louis Vuitton, and a yellow saddle bag from Christian Dior.

All told, officers hauled away 495 pieces of designer clothing, 499 pairs of designer footwear, 53 pairs of designer glasses and sunglasses, 14 pieces of designer jewelry, and a collection of 94 designer purses, handbags and wallets, according to the B.C. Supreme Court claim, which alleges all of the seized goods are proceeds of unlawful activity and should be forfeited to the provincial government.

A number of home décor items were also seized, including a glass Medusa head and a silver cheetah statue, both from Versace.

The lawsuit lists "the owners and all others interested in" the cash and property as defendants, but only names one Elnaz Haji Mohammad.

Haji Mohammad is described as the suspected "boss or leader" and "sole directing mind" of the operation, which allegedly involved advertising escort services, arranging meetings with clients, and either robbing them or coercing them into handing over their money.

In some cases, the women allegedly threatened to expose victims to their relatives and colleagues.

Authorities began investigating after an incident that was reported to police on Feb. 10, 2023.

According to the lawsuit, the encounter started when an unnamed victim met a woman at a bar and invited her back to his home.

The woman, referred to as Jane Doe in the documents, then contacted Haji Mohammad and "several female associates," who allegedly showed up at the property and threatened the man with violence.

The group then snatched a number of valuables from the home – including credit cards, jewelry, designer handbags and a "large amount of cash from a safe" – and took off, only to return later seeking to "extort additional money," according to the claim.

The Vancouver Police Department launched an investigation and eventually executed three search warrants on Aug. 25, 2023, leading to the seizure of the massive haul of designer goods.

The lawsuit indicates Haji Mohammad was arrested and taken to police headquarters, where she allegedly went into a bathroom and attempted to stash four credit and debit cards that weren't under her name in a "female hygiene products bin."

Haji Mohammad, who is also a defendant in two other ongoing civil forfeiture lawsuits, has not filed a statement of defence in the case. None of the allegations have been tested in court.

Online records show Haji Mohammad and several other women are facing criminal charges, including extortion and theft over $5,000, in connection with incidents in February and August 2023.