Police have arrested two suspects for fraudulently collecting public donations using the fake name of the Little Hearts Fund, allegedly to raise money for a cancer-related charity. The suspects, identified as 28-year-old Senadhiralage Dulan Maheshitha, a social media activist from Nochchiyagama, and 23-year-old Manikuge Sandaruwan Silva from Palaviya, are accused of misappropriating Rs. 2.9 million from donors for personal use.
According to Senior Superintendent of Police Buddhika Manathunga, the suspects were arrested following a police investigation into reports of a fraudulent fundraising scheme. They are set to be produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court.
The Little Hearts Project was launched in 2016 by the Institute of Pediatricians in collaboration with Derana Media Network to support children suffering from heart disease. However, recent reports surfaced that a group was misusing the project’s name to deceive the public. Investigative reports from Ada Derana Ukussa revealed that a fraudulent racket was operating under the guise of collecting donations for the Little Hearts initiative.
The police have urged the public to verify the authenticity of donation requests and to report any suspicious fundraising activities to prevent further exploitation of charitable causes.
