Maldives Police are investigating a major cyber fraud case in which scammers siphoned USD 250,000 from a high-end resort after hacking an official business email account.
According to police, the incident occurred last month when fraudsters gained unauthorized access to an email address used by the resort for operational and financial correspondence. Using the compromised account, the perpetrators allegedly manipulated transactions, enabling them to unlawfully transfer a substantial sum of money.
Police confirmed that the total amount stolen stands at USD 250,000, equivalent to approximately MVR 3.8 million. Investigators further revealed that the funds were transferred to a bank account in the United States, complicating recovery efforts.
Given the cross-border nature of the crime, Maldivian police have formally sought assistance from Interpol as part of ongoing efforts to trace and recover the stolen money, as well as to identify those responsible.
Reliable sources with direct knowledge of the case have confirmed that the affected property is One&Only Reethi Rah Resort. Police have not publicly named the resort, citing the sensitivity of the investigation.
The case underscores growing concerns over cybercrime targeting the Maldives’ tourism sector, where sophisticated email fraud and business email compromise scams are increasingly being used to exploit large financial transactions. Authorities have urged businesses to strengthen cybersecurity measures and verify financial instructions through multiple channels to prevent similar incidents.
