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Court bans 8 accounts of an American financial company

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Colombo Chief Magistrate Prasanna Alwis yesterday (19) ordered an American company named ‘Binance.com’, which had invested in OnmaxDT Pvt. Company accused of earning USD 100 million through illegal pyramid schemes, to freeze eight accounts of the company.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) informed the court that according to the Director of the Financial Intelligence Unit of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, this is the first time that a Sri Lankan court has issued an order to an American financial institution.

It was revealed that more than Rs.430 million rupees have been deposited in eight accounts of the American financial company ‘Binance.com’, and accordingly, the CID requested an order to suspend the transactions of those eight accounts for a period of six months from yesterday (19).

Accordingly, the eight suspended accounts are Onmax DT Private Limited (Sri Lanka), Onmax Pty Ltd. Company (Australia), the account established in the name of Sri Lankans Dhananjaya Gayan, Sampath Sandaruwan Lenaduwage, Saranga Randika Jayatissa (two accounts), Vikramapeli Gedera Chandrakanti and Kahadawa Arachchige Athula Indika Sampath.

Earlier, the Magistrate imposed a travel ban on six directors of the Onmax DT, Sampath Sandaruwan, Athula Indika Sampath, Gayashan Abeyratne, Madhuranga Prasanna, Saranga Randika, and Dhananjaya Jayan.

The CID informed the court that statements were recorded from two persons regarding two accounts of Onmax.

The CID also requested the court to issue an order to submit the mobile phones and computers of the two persons to the Computer Emergency Readiness Team to inspect the accounts. Accordingly, the Magistrate issued the order.

On the 28th, orders were issued by the court to freeze 57 bank accounts under the name of the company in Bank of Ceylon, Central Finance, Nations Trust, Seylan Bank and People’s Trust banks.

According to a complaint made by the Director of the Financial Intelligence Unit of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, the facts regarding this incident were reported to the court by the Financial Crimes Investigation Unit of the CID.

The CID informed the court that by registering a company as ‘Onmax DT’ private company and conducting illegal pyramid transactions through that company, more than 100 million US dollars had been transacted in Crypto Currency Wallets.

The CID reported to the court that the owners of the company have committed a punishable offence under Section 83 A (1) of the Banking Act and Section 3 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

(Lankadeepa)

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Passengers jump from plane’s wing after fire alert on Spain flight, triggers panic

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Wildfires have broken out on an island and in towns near Athens in Greece, with blazes also being sparked in Turkey and Syria.

The Hellenic Fire Service and local authorities said that two villages – Tsakeoi and Limnionas – had been evacuated on the island of Evia after the blaze started late on Friday.

One fire service official said more than 160 firefighters, 46 trucks and five aircraft were deployed in southern Evia to put out the fire.

Southern Evia, to the east of Athens, was one of several regions in Greece placed on high alert for wildfires over gale-force winds forecast for today.

Images from Koropi, a town to the southwest of Athens, also show houses burnt down and helicopters dropping water on burning forests.

It marks the latest wildfires to break out in Greece – where blazes are common during the summer – as it tackles strong winds and dry conditions amid an early summer heatwave in southern Europe.

Officials have linked the conditions to at least nine deaths across the continent.

A wildfire broke out in Achlia on the island of Crete on Wednesday, forcing thousands of residents and tourists to evacuate – with some taken to a nearby basketball arena and hotels in safer parts of the island.

The fire service official told Reuters on Friday that the fire in Crete was largely contained.

Meanwhile, blazes have also broken out on Turkey’s west coast – the latest in a series of blazes which started in late June – as well as its southerly neighbour Syria.

At least five fires have been reported in Izmir after extreme heat, strong winds and low humidity. Two people have been killed by the blazes, while tens of thousands have been evacuated.

Fires also flared on both sides of the Turkish-Syrian border on Friday, with a new blaze reported near the town of Dortyol in Turkey’s border province of Hatay.

According to Syria’s Civil Defence, wildfires have spread across large parts of mountainous areas in the Latakia province.

The government department added that conditions have hampered efforts to bring the fire under control, and noted unexploded ordnance could be in some of the areas affected.

Source: SKY NEWS

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CBSL extends Perpetual Treasuries suspension for six months

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The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) has decided to extend the suspension of Perpetual Treasuries Limited (PTL) from carrying on the business and activities of a Primary Dealer for a further period of six months.

The extension is with effect from 4.30 p.m. on 05th July 2025, in order to continue the investigations being conducted by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.

The suspension has been extended by CBSL acting in terms of the Regulations made under the Registered Stock and Securities Ordinance and the Local Treasury Bills Ordinance.

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Kataragama Basnayake Nilame pressured over complaint against Kapuwas’ donation misuse

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It has been reported that Dishan Wickramaratne Gunasekara – the Basnayake Nilame of the historic Ruhunu Kataragama Maha Devalaya, is facing pressure including from several parties including political circles to withdraw his complaint lodged against the custodians (Kapu Mahattaya) of the devalaya.

The issue had arisen after it was discovered that some custodians were collecting money into their own tills instead of allowing them to be deposited in the official donation box.

Public discussion about the transparency of the temple’s donations intensified after the Basnayake Nilame had begun using a portion of the funds for community projects like hospital construction.

Traditionally, devotees often handed donations directly to the custodians, but the Basnayake Nilame had urged the public via media to place offerings only in the official donation box managed by the Ministry of Buddha Sasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs.

He subsequently arranged a proper audit of all such donations for the first time.

In response, some custodians had reportedly begun pressuring devotees near the official box to hand over donations to them instead.

Upon learning of this, the Basnayake Nilame had lodged a complaint with the Kataragama Police, arguing that diverting funds from the official box amounts to fraudulent misappropriation.

Acting on the complaint, police arrested 02 custodians who were collecting offerings near the official box.

However, other custodians then surrounded the police station and pressured the officers to release the arrested individuals, resulting in their release.

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