May 24, Colombo (LNW): The United States Embassy in Colombo has firmly denied reports circulating in sections of the local media suggesting that a special Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) unit had been dispatched to Sri Lanka in connection with a major cybercrime probe involving state funds.
Responding to the speculation, an embassy spokesperson clarified that no FBI investigative team had travelled to the island for the matter in question. She stressed that the claims being circulated were inaccurate and risked creating unnecessary confusion surrounding an ongoing financial investigation.
The official explained that the US Embassy routinely hosts an FBI Legal Attaché office, a standard arrangement maintained in many diplomatic missions worldwide. The office primarily facilitates cooperation and information-sharing between American law enforcement agencies and local authorities whenever assistance is formally requested.
The embassy further underscored the importance of responsible reporting, particularly when dealing with issues linked to national security, cybercrime and international investigations. Officials noted that misleading reports could undermine public confidence and complicate sensitive inquiries.
Recent media stories had alleged that American investigators had arrived in Sri Lanka to support local agencies examining an alleged cyber fraud involving US$ 2.5 million reportedly linked to Treasury transactions. The same reports also referred to a separate payment of US$ 625,000 intended for postal authorities in the United States, which was said to have been redirected by suspected cybercriminals through sophisticated online manipulation.