An unidentified hacker stole $81m from Bangladesh’s bank account in February 201 using fraudulent orders on the SWIFT payment system.

Central bank deputy governor Abu Hena Mohd. Razee told Reuters on Wednesday: “Bangladesh Bank will file a lawsuit in a New York court within two to three months in connection with the reserve theft.

“We are in talks with the Federal Reserve Bank and SWIFT to join us as they are also victims.”

The Manila-based Rizal Commercial Banking Corp (RCBC), where the stolen money was sent to accounts before disappearing into the casino industry in the Philippines, said the cyber-heist was an inside job and Bangladesh Bank was taking part in a cover-up by maligning it.

The Philippine bank said in a statement: “Bangladesh Bank should stop making RCBC its scapegoats.”

Its statement said the bank had “revealed everything it legally could to the senate”.