Rajaratnam’s brother also indicted on insidertrading charges

When Sri Lankan expats hit the front pages of the New York Times or the Wall Street Journal, it's invariably either for fraud, insider stock trading or medical malpractice.

A physician in Los Angeles, apparently owning two Rolls Royce limousines, was hit with a massive fine and a jail sentence a couple of years ago. Last year, another physician in New York was arrested by Federal agents for writing hundreds of prescriptions for pain killers, a controlled drug, even without meeting his mostly fictitious patients.

But the most notorious case revolved around Raj Rajaratnam, head honcho of the Galleon Group. He is now serving 11 years in a federal prison after his sentencing in May 2011. Two of his associates, an Indian and an American, were subsequently found guilty of conspiracy and securities-fraud charges and jailed. But the end is still not in sight, with more co-conspirators being forced out of the wood.

Last week, the ruthlessly long arm of the law, reached out to Rajaratnam's youngest brother, Rengan, who is living in exile in Brazil. The 42-year-old stock broker, who worked for his brother's hedge fund company, has been charged with six counts of securities fraud.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Rengan led the high life in New York with his ill-gotten gains, very much like his brother, Raj. At social gatherings, he insisted on the finest cognac and cigars (maybe Cuban?) and claimed that he had a black belt in martial arts. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) will pursue him -- even if it be the Amazon jungles of Brazil, said one who is aware of the goings on.

All of these expats, incidentally, are from two of the most elitist schools in Colombo. Obviously, they were not taught these dirty tricks at school, but wherever they learnt how to manipulate stocks and defraud the US medical system, they didn't learn one of the basic rules in a crime caper: "Steal, but never get caught", remarked a friend.

As one wag from a rural Sri Lankan school now doing well in the US jocularly cracked: if this crime trend continues over the next 10 or 15 years, Sri Lanka could stage a gala cricket match between the old boys of both schools in a federal penitentiary, one of the meanest and toughest of US prisons, either in the state of Pennsylvania or North Carolina.

UPFA Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa devotes a day every week to meet the people, especially from the Hambantota District.

Last week, he was at Carlton House, the family home in Tangalle.

UPFA MP Udith Lokubandara and Provincil Council member Kanchana Wijesekara had turned up to see Namal. They were by his side as he listened to different requests from those visiting.

A lady from Panadura walked up to Namal and said she needed a letter from him to obtain a route permit. Such permits are issued to those operating private bus services.

" Aney nendey mata ewa karanna behe. Eka karanne tender walinne. ( Sorry Aunty, I can't do that. It is done according to tender procedures)," he said.

The lady shot back " Eka karaganna puluwan, oba thumage liyum kellak vitharai oney" ( It can be done. I only need a letter from you).

" Kawda kiuwe magen

liyumak