A 21-year-old man who police say used artificial intelligence to impersonate a woman’s voice, posing as a medical student to defraud a 71-year-old expatriate worker of Rs 1.8 million and a quantity of gifts, has been remanded until 12 November.
The suspect was produced before Galle Magistrate Sameera Dodangoda, the Daily Mirror reported at 8.43 a.m.
How the deception worked
The victim, a 71-year-old from Wennappuwa working in Italy, became acquainted over the internet with someone presenting as a young woman. She said she was a medical student living with her mother in a small house in the Wanduramba area, and asked for support. She sent him photographs of herself in a medical student’s uniform.
Investigators found the person behind the account was a young man who introduced himself under the female name Thikshani Pramodya and spoke to the victim in a female voice generated through AI technology. He pretended to be in love with the victim, who sent money and presents in the expectation of living with her on his return to Sri Lanka.
The victim returned to Sri Lanka on 26 October and tried to contact her without success. When his calls failed, he complained to Galle Police.
Two arrests
Police named the main suspect as Ovitigala Vithanage Thikshani Pramodya, 21, an employee of a mobile phone showroom — the alias used on the victim corresponded to the suspect’s own name.
The showroom’s owner, Emaduwa Vithanage Dimutu Sampath, 24, was arrested on suspicion of aiding and abetting the fraud and has been released on bail.
Investigations were conducted by OIC of the Crime Investigation Branch CI B.V. Wijesiri, SI Premakumara and Sergeant 730009 Aruna, on the instructions of SSP S.K.S. Rupasinghe.
Where this sits
Voice synthesis moves a familiar online romance fraud onto new ground. A written exchange can be sustained by anyone; a sustained telephone relationship in a convincing voice of the opposite sex previously could not be. The filing describes exactly that capability being used against a victim who had no reason to doubt what he heard on the phone.
This desk has reported an arrest in South Korea over AI-generated fake audio, and Sri Lanka CERT has warned repeatedly about impersonation scams, including fake bank websites timed to a Poya holiday. This case applies the technique to a one-to-one relationship built over months.
Not reported
The filing does not say over what period the money was sent, how the Rs 1.8 million was transferred, what the goods were, or whether any of it has been recovered. It does not state what charges the suspects face, what software was used, or whether the photographs sent to the victim were of a real person.
Nothing is reported on how the showroom owner is alleged to have assisted, on the bail conditions set, or on whether police are investigating other victims.
