News

Lycamobile accused of money laundering & VAT fraud in France

Published

11 months ago

June 13, 2023

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Lycamobile France, three of its managers and eight other people are on trial in Paris from Monday on charges of money laundering and VAT fraud between 2014 and 2016, French media reported.

Lycamobile is owned by Subaskaran Aliraja, who has become the ultimate owner of three radio and television channels in Sri Lanka. The company has also offered to buy state-owned shares in Sri Lanka Telecom PLC and Lanka Hospital PLC.

BFM Business news said a Paris Court is looking into Lycamobile involving a series of front companies and traders in the Parisian district of La Chapelle, which would have made it possible to launder more than 17 million euros in seven months.

However, according to the company, which defends itself from any infringement, has said that a “system” has been set up “without their knowledge.”

Revealed by the Buzzfeed site, the investigations were launched in early 2016 into the allegations.

The investigations revealed a circular operation where there were construction companies which made transfers and checks to “filter” companies in exchange of false invoices.

These companies, in reality empty shells, bought cards and phone recharges from Lycamobile, but these goods were not received, according to the investigation.

Two Lycamobile sales reps resold them to shops in the 18th arrondissement of Paris.

The prepaid cards and their top-ups were resold on the “ethnic market” of North African, African and Indo-Pakistani communities wishing to call abroad.

“This procedure shows very clearly that filter companies and construction companies have organized and implemented a system to remunerate work concealed by a game of SIM card resales without the knowledge of Lycamobile”, a company spokesperson has told the AFP.

“We cannot therefore hold Lycamobile responsible for the implementation of this illegal scheme which is totally foreign to it”, adds the spokesperson.

The court will examine suspicions of VAT fraud through the “misuse” of an existing legal derogatory regime in the telephone sector.

The prosecution considers that, via an “arrangement” between the two sister companies, Lycamobile Services improperly resold the telephone products, purchased all taxes included (TTC) from Lycamobile France, at a price excluding tax (HT), which allowed it to claim VAT refunds.

Lycamobile France, Lycamobile Services, as well as Alain Jochimek, managing director of the two companies, are tried for laundering or misuse of corporate assets and concealed work in an organized gang.

Lycamobile Services and Alain Jochimek are tried for VAT fraud.

Eight other defendants are tried for one or the other offence, suspected of having played a role in the scheme.

News

4 suspected ISIS terrorists arrested in Ahmedabad, believed to be Sri Lankans

Published

4 hours ago

May 20, 2024

editor

Four suspected ISIS terrorists have been arrested from the Ahmedabad airport, days after the airport received a bomb threat. The terrorists are believed to be citizens of Sri Lanka.
The Gujarat Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) made the arrests when they were allegedly waiting at the airport for their handler. The handler was supposed to give them task, sources said. The police have also recovered encrypted chats from their phones.

According to the sources, agents in Pakistan had promised them some weapons that they were likely to use in an attack but the suspected terrorists were caught before that.

The men allegedly reached Ahmedabad from Sri Lanka via Chennai. They were arrested before they could reach their target location.
On May 12, the Ahmedabad airport received a bomb threat email which turned out to be a hoax after security personnel searched the airport complex, but nothing suspicious was found. The threat email was sent by an unidentified person on the official email ID of the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in the afternoon, following which the security personnel at the airport scanned the entire airport, said Commissioner of Police, GS Malik.

Post a comment In August last year, the ATS arrested three persons from Rajkot for their alleged links to Al Qaeda. They were prima facie working for a Bangladeshi handler to radicalise and recruit people for the banned terrorist organisation.

(NDTV)

(Except for the headline, this story, originally published by NDTV has not been edited by SLM staff)

News

Businessman who assaulted Iranian ambassador, further remanded

Published

4 hours ago

May 20, 2024

editor

The businessman who was arrested and remanded over the alleged assault on Iranian Ambassador Dr. Alireza Delkhosh at the Colombo City Center (CCC) car park, has been further remanded till May 22.

He was produced before the Fort Magistrate’s Court today (May 20).

The suspect, Buwaneka Mahasen Basnayake, a resident of Ward Place, Colombo 07 was arrested on Saturday.

News

SLCFA unveils book on SL – China friendship

Published

5 hours ago

May 20, 2024

editor

The Sri Lanka-China Friendship Association (SLCFA) recently launched the book “Sri Lanka Cheena Mithudama” (Sri Lanka China Friendship) at a ceremonious event held recently at the Auditorium of the National Library and Documentation Services Board of Sri Lanka.

The launch event was graced by prominent dignitaries, including the former Speaker – Karu Jayasuriya, who was the keynote speaker, and Chinese ambassador in Colombo – Mr. Qi Zhenhong, who was the guest of honour.

Mr. Ananda Goonatilleke, Attorney-at-Law and President of the Sri Lanka-China Friendship Association, chaired the event, reflecting on the enduring relationship between Sri Lanka and China. The SLCFA, originally founded as the “Ceylon-China Friendship Union” on September 21, 1950, by the Ceylon Communist Party, stands as a pioneer in fostering people-to-people diplomatic ties between the two nations.

The first president of the union was Madam Kusuma Gunawardena, mother of the current Prime Minister – Dinesh Gunawardena.

In his welcome address, Mr. Goonatilleke introduced the book’s rich content, which encompasses a wide range of topics including historical ties, Buddhist connections, diplomatic relations, literature, economic and cultural cooperation, Chinese cuisine, China’s role and support in the war that defeated the LTTE, media, philatelic interests, photography, and more. He expressed gratitude to the authors who contributed invaluable articles and acknowledged the continuous support from the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Sri Lanka.

Hon. Karu Jayasuriya, in his keynote address, highlighted the significance of the Rice and Rubber Pact, emphasizing its role in solidifying the profound friendship between Sri Lanka and China. He commended the SLCFA for its seven-decade-long dedication to nurturing people-to-people relationships between the two countries.

The highlight of the event was the formal presentation of the first copies of “Sri Lanka Cheena Mithudama” by Mr. Goonatilleke to Karu Jayasuriya and the Chinese ambassador – Qi Zhenhong. The event also saw the presence of notable figures such as Dr. G. Weerasinghe, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Sri Lanka; Mr. Aruna Goonatilleke, SLCFA Executive Vice President; Vice Presidents Mr. Thilak Botheju, Mr. Daya Lankapura and Mr. Premadara Dissanayake; SLCFA office bearers and various civil society activists and members of the public.

All attendees were presented with a complimentary copy of “Sri Lanka Cheena Mithudama,” marking the occasion as a memorable celebration of the enduring friendship between Sri Lanka and China.