A Chinese couple arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) were ordered to be remanded in connection with a large-scale pyramid scam of nearly Rs.15,000 million that defrauded many people of various status.
The CID officials informed the court that the two suspects were arrested in connection with the extensive investigation conducted into the scam in which they have introduced a computer software called “Sports Chain” and defrauded the people who are connected to it.
The suspects had organised conferences in major hotels in Colombo in order to lure people engaged in various professions.
Upon inspection of the bank accounts of these suspects, State Counsel Hamsa Abeyratne told the court that Rs.1.4 billion has been circulated in the accounts and investigations are continuing to find the source of the funds.
He said that the investigations into this incident are still in the preliminary stage and that during the interrogation of the main suspect Shamal Bandara, facts related to the two Chinese nationals were revealed through a WhatsApp message sent from his phone.
The lawyers appearing for the suspects said that the facts regarding these suspects have not been reported to the court before. He said that the incident cannot be considered an offence but a work that falls under digital currency and that attention is being paid to legalise this in Sri Lanka soon.
He informed the court that the suspect, who is the son of the biggest Chinese investor in Sri Lanka, has not committed such an offence.
The CID told the court that they have received 70 complaints regarding the scam and that more suspects will be arrested in the future.
Colombo Additional Magistrate Harshana Kekunawela imposed a travel ban on seven heads of the company called “Sport Chain Society Sri Lanka” for defrauding over Rs.8,000 million from a group of people who invested money in the pyramid scheme, and ordered the freezing of five of their bank accounts.
Source – The Island
