By Roy Denish
Nebula Homes fraud allegations involve at least 21 victims who say more than Rs. 116 million was lost through unfinished housing projects.
COLOMBO – For many middle-class families in Sri Lanka, building a home represents the culmination of a lifetime of work. However, for a growing group of prospective homeowners, that aspiration has turned into a multi-million-rupee financial nightmare allegedly orchestrated by a real estate enterprise trading as Nebula Homes.
An investigation into the operations of the firm reveals an alleged sophisticated digital marketing scheme that reportedly defrauded at least 21 documented victims of more than Rs. 116 million. While initial legal action and specialised police investigations have begun targeting key figures, victims warn that the alleged scheme highlights deep systemic vulnerabilities in consumer protection and oversight within the country’s booming construction sector.
Operating across a network of roughly 16 distinct Facebook pages, Nebula Homes targeted prospective homeowners squeezed by inflation and high living costs by marketing low down payments alongside flexible monthly instalment plans designed to appeal to middle-income earners.
As each month drew to a close, aggressive campaigns offered time-sensitive bonuses, including free air-conditioning units, home theatre systems, or automated roller doors, allegedly pressuring clients to sign contracts quickly.
According to victims, company offices relied heavily on high-pressure sales tactics and curated video testimonials featuring clients at initial foundation-laying ceremonies. Enticed by discounts for lump-sum payments, many clients reportedly liquidated assets, pawned jewellery, sold vehicles, or secured substantial commercial bank loans, with individual families handing over as much as Rs. 25 million directly into corporate accounts for multi-storey residential projects.
Once the funds cleared, active operations allegedly ground to a halt, leaving sites intended for multi-storey developments with little more than excavated, waterlogged foundation pits. Some became breeding grounds for mosquitoes, subsequently resulting in municipal dengue-related notices being issued to landowners.
Where labour was dispatched, victims reported token crews consisting of a single mason and minimal, unbranded materials. They also alleged serious structural defects, including foundations being laid without properly following architectural plans for multiple staircases and walls that reportedly shook or collapsed under minimal manual pressure.
Management allegedly discouraged direct communication between clients and labourers, preventing workers from discussing unpaid wages and abrupt terminations. When desperate clients sought answers, they say they were funnelled through a corporate maze involving site coordinators, general managers, and chief executives who repeatedly promised that work would soon resume.
Compounding the financial devastation are allegations of institutional complicity. Victims who lodged formal complaints at local police divisions, including Kadawatha and Peliyagoda, claimed that confidential details of their complaints were leaked to the company almost immediately.
Key operators behind the firm, identified by victims as a director allegedly operating under the names Dhamayanthi or Waruni, alongside her husband Chathuranga, are also accused of claiming that they enjoyed political and law enforcement protection.
While specialised units have initiated investigations and made initial arrests, affected families argue that slow-moving bureaucratic and legal processes continue to protect those allegedly responsible.
The human cost has been severe. Victims report fractured marriages, chronic stress, and complete financial ruin while continuing to service commercial bank loans for homes that were never completed and simultaneously paying rent elsewhere.
A united group of victims is now urging law enforcement authorities to broaden their investigation, freeze assets linked to the alleged scheme, and examine possible regulatory negligence.
They have also warned the public against relying on flashy social media advertisements and urged prospective homeowners to verify contractor credentials through proper legal and regulatory channels before committing substantial funds.
Victim representative Nilal Indrajith said families had invested their life savings only to be left with stagnant foundation pits. The victims are demanding swift justice, the recovery of their funds, and an end to what they describe as impunity for those who profit from the misery of ordinary citizens.
