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Pyramid schemes a crime not a business: Siyambalapitiya

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Action will be taken under the criminal law against the institutions and individuals who operate pyramid schemes, State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said.

State Minister Siyambalapitiya said that pyramid schemes are not a business but a crime.

He expressed these views while speaking to the media after a programme held in Dehiowita.

Commenting further, he said that the Central Bank has prohibited this crime in accordance with the Banking Act No. 30 of 1988 and that action can be taken under the criminal law.

“Accordingly, the Attorney General will be informed and the complaints in this regard will be forwarded to the police and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and cases will be filed against these fraudulent companies and the persons who led them under the criminal law,” he said.

He said that a large number of people in the society have fallen prey to these smugglers since they only focus on temporary benefits despite the warnings issued by the Central Bank.

LPL winning Kandy team owners, B-Love, alleged of pyramids schemes

Meanwhile, Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe recently said in Parliament that the Lanka Premier League (LPL) tournament was a gambling den.

He said that the sponsor of the B-Love Kandy team that won the LPL championship is a company that promotes cryptocurrency which is prohibited under the laws of Sri Lanka.

The Minister of Justice disclosed about 15 betting websites that played a major role in the LPL tournament, which was held without the Sport Minister’s approval.

It was also revealed that SKYFAIR, which sponsored the titles of the tournament, was an illegal offshore betting website.

“In the LPL tournament, many programmes were held especially to promote the cryptocurrency system. The titles of the T20 franchise were sponsored by an illegal offshore betting site called SKYFAIR.”

“These sites are prohibited according to our laws. This tournament has been used to promote illegal acts. Many sponsors operate illegal betting sites. Fifteen such institutions have been identified. They are; Skyfair.News, 1xBet 1XBook, Crickets In, Kheloyar News, Babu88, SAT sport, Wolf 777, Tiger ESCH, BA Fry Coin and MTFE.”

“All these institutions are engaged in betting business or promoting cryptocurrency transactions. The winning Kandy team has also been sponsored by a cryptocurrency company called ‘Be Love’ which is a banned institution,”

The minister has a responsibility to find out whether these actions taken by Sri Lanka Cricket are illegal. And then… steps should be taken to correct them,” he said.

A Constitutional Responsibility

“The Article 108 of the Anti-Corruption Act has been newly introduced. The MPs passed the law to make giving bribes, tips and accepting them in sports as an offence punishable with seven years imprisonment and a fine of not more than Rs.1 million. This is Act No. 09 of 2023.”

“Article 109 of the Act is also related to this. Under that article, not only the SLC but also any person should explain how they have amassed wealth.”

“The minister should make that explanation. If such an explanation cannot be made, action should be taken after considering this as an offence subject to punishments.”

“The minister has the authority and he should use it. Get these proposals approved by the Cabinet. We will prepare the Bill within two weeks,” Minister Rajapakshe said.

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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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