Sri Lanka probes $2.5M cyber fraud in government payment

Sri Lanka has launched a multi-agency investigation into a large-scale cyber fraud that resulted in the diversion of a 2.5 million U.S. dollar government payment, according to the country’s Ministry of Finance, News.Az reports, citing Xinhua.

The ministry said cyber criminals managed to gain unauthorized access to the External Resources Department’s computer system through email and redirected a payment of 2.5 million U.S. dollars that was originally intended for an Australian creditor.

It added that relevant authorities are now working in coordination with international counterparts to trace the funds and identify those responsible for the attack.

The incident was uncovered when Treasury officials noticed unusual changes to account details during a separate payment process linked to India, which triggered immediate scrutiny and helped prevent another attempted transaction.

Treasury Secretary Harshana Suriyapperuma said the rapid response enabled authorities to detect the fraud without disrupting ongoing investigations.

He also confirmed that an internal committee, including two deputy treasury secretaries and other senior officials, has been appointed to recommend further corrective measures, while disciplinary action has been initiated against officials linked to procedural lapses.

Officials stated that Sri Lanka has informed the Australian government, creditor institutions, and other stakeholders involved in the country’s debt restructuring process. Debt experts have noted that the incident does not impact Sri Lanka’s commitment to fulfilling its sovereign obligations.

The Australian High Commission said it is working closely with Sri Lankan authorities and continues to support the country’s efforts toward debt sustainability.

News.Az 

By Nijat Babayev