Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Finance says cyber hackers gained unauthorized access to the computer system of the External Resources Department and carried out a theft involving a foreign currency payment.
The statement was issued hours after opposition figures alleged that USD 2.5 million in Treasury funds had been diverted during a foreign debt repayment.
In a statement issued today, the Ministry said it had already lodged complaints with law enforcement agencies and relevant institutions over the incident.
The Ministry said the matter relates to a foreign currency payment made in January 2026 and that it had informed the Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team and the Computer Crime Investigation Division of the Sri Lanka Police.
Following investigations, complaints were also lodged with the Criminal Investigation Department and the Financial Intelligence Unit of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.
A preliminary internal inquiry has also been conducted, with necessary action taken and disciplinary proceedings initiated against several officials, the statement added.
The Ministry said it will continue to cooperate with ongoing investigations and provide further updates at an appropriate time, without disrupting current probes. (Newswire)