The US courts issued a warrant for Edward’s arrest after the court heard how he and five others had duped investors for over USD 44 million, promising high returns. It was also revealed that they had presented themselves as federal officers.
According to the allegations contained in the indictment, from at least June 2013 through August 2016, Rienzi Edwards, Michael Jacobs, Ruby Handler-Jacobs, F.K. Ho, Lawrence Lester and Rachel Gendreau orchestrated and executed a fraudulent high-yield investment programme known as the “Cities Upliftment Programme,” or CUP, which the defendants falsely told investors was operated by the New York Fed. The scheme was principally designed and operated by Edwards, with the assistance of Jacobs and Handler-Jacobs, and was marketed to investors around the world through brokers, including Ho, Lester, and Gendreau.
In another case in the UK, Edwards pleaded guilty on 24 May 2006 at Southwark Crown Court of "possessing false instruments" contrary to Section 5(2) & 6 Forgery and Counterfeiting Act 1981. It was reported that they had forged cheques totalling 101.6 million Canadian Dollars. Edwards was sentenced to 12 months in prison suspended for 2 years and ordered to pay costs of £750 for this offence.
There was no deportation order made because in open court as Edwards stated that it was intention to return to Sri Lanka immediately.
Stolen loot used to buy luxury properties!
Edwards is said to have invested most of that stolen money in Sri Lanka, buying expensive properties in and around Colombo 07, including the old Central Hospital land at Horton place, bought under his wife’s name.
He also bought into the Nuwara Eliya "Royal Turf Club" and has a stake in a stud farm in Hyderabad, India.
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