Cricket: SLC in an attempt to salvage cash from Mexican account

Sri Lanka Cricket this week assigned Ernest & Young to carry out a comprehensive audit on its broadcast earnings amidst new finding that a sum of US 187,000, approximately Rs. 32 million has been transferred to an offshore account, prior to the million dollar fraud attempt. 

This, many say would have been a trial run by the perpetrator(s) who later attempted to transfer a big chunk of the broadcast money from the current series. 

The money was the last payment due from Sony Pictures Network India (Pvt) LTD--the official broadcaster of SLC for the concluded South African series. 

SLC confirmed that the money has been transferred to an offshore account in Hong Kong which has been further transferred to an account in Maxico (Banamex Bank A/C 002180700779057641). 

SLC’s Head of Finance who is now under investigation for giving instruction to Sony Pictures Network to transfer US$ 5.56 million to an off-shore account in Hong Kong allegedly using forged documents and signatures. 

This was the first tranche of US$ 11.128 million due to SLC from the broadcaster for the current England series. 

“We are in the process of recovering that money,” said Ashley de Siva, CEO Sri Lanka Cricket. 

“After the main incident, we did an internal investigation and found that the last payment from Sony has not come. We have referred this as well to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). 

De Silva on Thursday made a statement to the CID along with its manager IT Nadeeshan Suriaarachchi. 

“I have asked the IGP to complete the investigation expeditiously,” said Minister of Sports Faizser Musthapha. 

Both these transaction, however had taken place during the current ‘interim’ administration where the board is headed by a politically appointed Competent Authority. 

“If there was a proper management committee, elected or otherwise, this would never have taken place,” a cricket source said on the condition of anonymity. 

“Cricket is in a mess on and off the field. The team is under performing on one end. On other end, there is a massive fraud attempt and also match fixing allegation. I am sure all these would have avoided if there was a proper administration in place at the SLC. I think the minister should take the responsibility for the current right royal mess Sri Lanka Cricket is in. He should go for election as soon as possible or appoint an interim committee to manage the affairs which his Secretary is incapable of handling. 

Documents show that SLC’s Head of Finance has given instruction to its broadcast partner to make the payment to Hangseng Bank in Hong Kong (A/C No. 788-7968954-883) which will be automatically be further credited to an account with Banamex bank (Banamex Bank A/C 002180700779057641). 

The letter was signed by HOF along with CEO and Chief Operating Officer (COO) but both CEO and COO say that they have not signed the letter and that their signatures had been forged. 

The HOF who has since been suspended had told maintained his innocence in the million dollar attempted fraud saying that his email has been hacked. 

This was however rejected point blankly by SLC’ IT manager at a recent press conference in Colombo. 

The trails of emails communication, the HOF had with Sandeep Patil of Sony Pictures shows that the former giving clear instructions to the Patil to transfer the money at their earliest to account owned by Fanya Silu Co. Limited in Hong Kong. 

Upon searching the directory of the Cyber Search Center of the Company Register in Hong Kong and found out, a Spanish national Tamara Sanchez Baurdet is a director of the company but no further details were available with regard to other directors of the company, if there are any. 

There had been several cases of alleged misuse of funds but never in history has there been a fraud of this nature within the cricketing establishment.