Suspects have accepted 219,000 deposits:
Amassed wealth over Rs. 1 Bn :
Crypto currency running into Rs.429 million :
Bought many properties including hotel :
Colombo Chief Magistrate Prasanna Alwis yesterday ordered the remand of five directors of the Onmax DT company involved in pyramid schemes till November 16.
The CID arrested the directors of the company namely Indika Sampath, Gayashan Abeyratne, Sampath Sadaruwan, Saranga Randeepa and Dhananjaya Jayan on the advice of Attorney General and produced them before the Colombo Chief Magistrate Court yesterday.
State Counsel Oswald Perera making submission before Court noted that the suspects have committed unbailable offences under the Bank Act and the Money Laundering Act.
The State Counsel informed Court that suspects have accepted over 219,000 deposits and their wallets have cryptocurrency or virtual money running into Rs.429 million.
He cited that the investigators have found Rs.558 million from the bank account of Director Sampath Sadaruwan, Rs.29 million from Indika Sampath, Rs.117 million from Dhanajaya Jayan, Rs.182 million from Saranga Randeepa and Rs.19 million from Gayashan Abeyratne.
He said that in addition to this money, the suspects also have a large amount of property and it is imperative that the suspects be remanded for investigation. According to the information revealed so far, Director Sampath Sandaruwan has properties worth Rs.624 million including a hotel and a residential complex. In addition, it is suspected that properties have been purchased in the names of relatives and other people.
In addition to this, it was announced that the alienation of property worth Rs.5.5 million owned by the suspect Indika Sampath and property worth Rs.90 million owned by Saranga Randipa has been suspended. He said that a large number of people have been caught in the fraud of the suspects and three deaths have occurred in Weeraketiya, Walasmulla and Dehiwala areas, therefore, there may be a big public uproar if the suspects are bailed.
The State Counsel said that despite the announcements that the Central Bank has banned the company in question, a large number of people have invested in the company in spite of it. In addition to that, the court was informed that the depositors have been threatened that the customers’ money would not be paid back if they filed a complaint against the company.
President’s Counsel Anuja Premaratne who appeared for the suspects, said that virtual currency is a recognized as a medium of exchange in the world and it is a platform for investment. He also said that since the company concerned has not dealt with money, it has not been smuggling pyramids.
After considering the facts presented by both the parties, the court ordered the suspects to be remanded in custody, their passports to be taken into the custody of the court, and the communication devices including telephones to be taken into the custody of the Criminal Investigation Department.
Chandana Jayaweera