Relatives of Sri Lankan Politicians Implicated in $400,000 Lottery Fund Embezzlement

^{Pictured: Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, former Minister of Education of Sri Lanka}

Sri Lankan authorities are investigating a large-scale embezzlement scheme involving funds from the sale of state lottery tickets, Daily Mirror Online reports. Those implicated include relatives of prominent politicians — the wife of MP Hesha Withanage and the sister-in-law of former Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam.

According to the National Lotteries Board (NLB), the suspects worked as district representatives, responsible for distributing and selling batches of lottery tickets. After sales, they were required to remit proceeds back to the state fund. However, an internal audit revealed that a significant portion of the funds had been misappropriated.

The total losses are estimated at over 120 million Sri Lankan rupees (approximately $400,000). More than 500,000 lottery tickets were sold through the scheme, with the corresponding proceeds never reaching the treasury.

The NLB added that similar irregularities were uncovered among other agents appointed through political connections, including those recommended by former Agriculture Minister Duminda Dissanayake and former Minister of Planning and Development Navin Dissanayake.

Under Sri Lanka’s Public Property Act, failure to remit funds exceeding 100,000 rupees (around $300) constitutes a criminal offense. The case materials have been referred to the Fraud Investigation Division, and the findings will be presented to the Parliamentary Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE).