$81-M cyber heist from Bangladesh is 'Made in China,' says Recto

MANILA – As the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) turned over to Bangladeshi authorities some $.4.63 million returned by casino junket operator Kam Sin Wong or Kim Wong, Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto on Thursday expressed his belief that the mastermind in the $81-M cyber heist is not in the Philippines, but rather, the robbery plot is mostly “Made in China.”

In a statement, Recto said that the third hearing of the investigation conducted by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee has revealed more interesting facts from Kim Wong, who had said that two Chinese nationals are involved in the cyber heist that has shaken financial  systems from Bangladesh to New York and Manila. And yet,  Recto noted, nothing has been heard from China, where it all began.

“Ang mastermind nito, sa tingin ko ay mga mainland Chinese. O nasa China. This has all the makings of a “Made-in-China problem. Nagmula sa labas ang problemang ito, hindi sa Pilipinas,” Recto said.

Recto said the third hearing is a revelation of the truth behind the stealing, which had been voluntarily exposed by Wong himself. Wong is reputedly the operator of the country's largest casino junket operation, 

“Kaya sa tingin ko, hindi naman talaga Pilipinas ang puno’t dulo nito. To a great extent, naloko rin tayo,” Recto said.

‘May natulog sa pansitan’

Meanwhile, the Batangas lawmaker said that there was somebody sleeping on the job at Bangladeshi bank, when their computer system was attacked by virus or malware.

“The reports even indicated it was an inside job. There's an accomplice from within,” Recto said.

Recto found something wrong with the verification process in the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, when it cleared the transfer without authenticating the payment instructions.

“Second, they gave the go signal to the wire transfer of the New York Federal Reserve. They cleared it. Even the US banks to which the money was first coursed, gave the go signal. Why was the verification process shortcircuited?” Recto asked.

Recto described it as a conventional bank robbery, and the robbers are not Filipinos, but Chinese nationals in cahoots with insiders in both the Bank of Bangladesh and Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC).

“Parang nasa dulo na tayo. Kung conventional bank robbery ito, yung mga robbers, hindi Pilipino. Yung kasabwat sa loob ng bangko, hindi Pilipino. Yung gwardiya, hindi Pilipino. Yung getaway car, hindi Pilipino. Kaya lang ginarahe yung kotse sa isang talyer ng isang Pilipino,” Recto said.

New York bank washes hands

Recto said the New York bank is just washing its hands since there is no high-profile investigation being conducted by the federal government.

“The early frantic calls of the Bangladesh Central Bank head were not even answered by New York. Kahit Chinese nationals ang involved, and I am not referring to Kim Wong, ni piyok sa Beijing wala tayong narinig,” Recto said.

“Lumapit lang ang isang bangka sa Panatag Shoal, nagtatatalak na sila. Pero dito na malaking pera ang nawala, wala tayong naririnig,” he added.