Pension Scam

Authorities have bared a massive scam that drained millions from the Sri Lankan government pension system, by submitting falsified documents.





Authorities have bared a massive scam that drained millions from the Sri Lankan government pension system, by submitting falsified documents. Officials say in one case, a person purporting to be resident in Canada had claimed two million rupees over a ten-year period.

Though the person was dead, a local party has submitted false life certificates to a commercial bank in Fort to claim the money.

"Even though they certify a document and send it from a foreign country like Canada, to Sri Lanka, that document doesn't reach the bank here directly," says Pensions Director K A Tillekeratne.

"A certificate is sent to someone in Sri Lanka, who then brings it to the bank. That's where the problem is."

Similar frauds have been uncovered from areas ranging from Homagama to Padadura and Chilaw to Kuruwita.

There are 400,000 pensioners in Sri Lanka.

Twenty thousand live outside the country.

Though they could claim the pensions, from the Sri Lankan embassy in the country, most collect the