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Statements recorded from 21 individuals Over USD 2.5 million cyber ...
The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) has so far recorded statements from 21 individuals over the USD 2.5 million cyber theft at the Finance Ministry, Public Security Minister Ananada ...
Treasury cyber fraud unlikely to be treated as debt default - Govt
Sri Lanka’s creditors are unlikely to classify the recent USD 2.5 million Treasury fund diversion incident as a technical debt default, Deputy Minister of Finance Anil Jayantha Fernando told Parliament today, citing advice from the government’s financial and legal advisors involved in the debt restructuring process. Responding to questions raised by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, Fernando said the incident is likely to be treated as a cybercrime matter rather than a failure or refusal by the Sri Lankan government to repay its debt obligations. “Although the funds remitted by Sri Lanka were not received by the Australian creditor, this does not indicate an inability or hesitation by the government to repay debt,” Jayantha said. “Given the close relations between Sri Lanka and Australia, and because this is a cybercrime incident, advisors have informed us that Australia and Paris Club members are unlikely to consider this a debt default,” he said. Fernando said debt restructuring advisors had been consulted to determine whether the incident could be classified as a technical default, while investigations were continuing to establish the nature of the fraud. According to the timeline presented in Parliament, Fernando said the Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team (CERT) was informed of the matter on Jan. 9, 2026, while the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) was copied on the same day. Australia Export Finance, the creditor involved, informed Sri Lankan authorities on March 23 that the funds had not been received, he said. The following day, the Director General of the External Resources Department lodged a written complaint with the CID, while the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) of the Central Bank was informed on April 1. Fernando rejected allegations that the government had withheld information from Parliament regarding the incident. “There was no attempt to avoid reporting facts to Parliament,” he said, adding that authorities decided to wait until more information became available through investigations, particularly regarding possible officials involved and internal control issues. He said all findings would eventually be presented to Parliament. Premadasa questioned why Parliament had not been informed earlier, given the timeline of events. Fernando also addressed public speculation surrounding the death of the ministry official linked to the matter, urging both the opposition and the media to avoid spreading unverified claims. This ca...
Authorities widen probe into US$2.5 million cyber heist
Comprehensive investigations are currently underway into an incident in which US$2.5 million belonging to the Ministry of Finance was allegedly misappropriated by a group of fraudsters, the Minister of Health and Mass Media Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa stated. The Minister also confirmed that an internal inquiry is being conducted by the Ministry of Finance in parallel with the ongoing investigations ...
Central Bank's Shadow Looms over Treasury Cyber Heist Scandal
Sri Lanka's unfolding USD 2.5 million Treasury cyber heist has rapidly evolved into more than a case of digital fraud. It now raises deeper institutional questions particularly about the role and accountability of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) during a critical transition in the country's debt management framework. The fraud, executed through ten […]
