PH seeks Bangladesh help on heist

The Philippines has asked Bangladesh to share details of its investigation into an $81-million cyberheist from the Bangladesh central bank after the proceeds ended up in Manila, the finance department said on Sunday.

The money was shifted electronically from Bangladesh Bank’s account with the US Federal Reserve to a Makati branch of Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC), from where it was funneled into local casinos in February.

Officials from both countries met in Manila last week to discuss efforts to recover the rest of the funds.

The Bangladeshi delegation thanked the Philippines for returning $15 million, the finance department said in a statement.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez and other Philippine officials “strongly recommended that Bangladesh share with the Department of Justice and the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) the results of their investigation into the cyberheist,” the statement added. —AFP