The Head of a Community Organization in Banten Reported to the Police in Connection with Alleged Housing Project Fraud

JAKARTA - A community organization (ormas) leader in Banten has been reported to the authorities for alleged involvement in a fraud and embezzlement scheme involving a housing construction project that cost residents billions of rupiah. The suspect is identified as Ryzky Febriyan, who serves as the head of the Banten Barisan 8 Center Regional Leadership Council (DPW).

He was reported by one of the victims, Anita, who claims to have suffered a loss of Rp 170 million after depositing funds for the house construction to a contractor company she claimed belonged to Ryzky, but the construction never materialized. This case is currently being handled by the Pondok Aren Police in South Tangerang City.

According to Anita's attorney, Ricci, the house construction project was run by a company called TIS Kontraktor, now renamed Karya Bangun Tis, which is said to be under Ryzky's control.

The company promised to build residential homes for clients, but after receiving payment, the project stalled completely without explanation.

"The modus operandi is uniform: the victims are promised their houses will be completed within a few months. But after the money is paid, construction stalls without explanation. This is not a technical error, but an indication of a deliberate and systematic pattern of fraud," Ricci stated in his statement on Wednesday, August 6.

To date, according to Ricci, only five people have come forward to confess. However, based on information gathered by his team, the number of victims is estimated to be in the tens. One victim reportedly suffered losses of up to IDR 500 million.

"Imagine, if just 20 people suffered losses of hundreds of millions, the total potential losses in this case could reach tens of billions of rupiah. This must be a serious concern for law enforcement," he added.

Ricci suspects that Ryzky's socio-political power as the leader of a mass organization was used to pressure or intimidate the victims into not reporting the case. This also contributed to delaying the legal process.

Despite allegations of attempts to back the accused, the Pondok Aren Police asserted that they would not bow to pressure from any party. The investigation was led directly by the Head of the Criminal Investigation Unit, AKP Djunaidi Sholat, who is known for his firmness and integrity.

Ricci also appealed to the public who feel deceived or harmed by similar schemes not to hesitate to report them. He also opened a communication channel for victims who have not yet spoken out.

"The more reports, the greater our legal power. I am ready to accompany every victim in seeking justice," he emphasized.

As of the publication of this article, Ryzky Febriyan and representatives of TIS Kontraktor have not provided clarification or responded to the allegations. Meanwhile, the media team continues to investigate the possible involvement of other parties suspected of backing or protecting the mass organization leader in this case.

This case serves as a serious warning to the public to be more vigilant when conducting transactions, especially when using home building services (contractors). The public is urged to always check the legality of the company, the developer's track record, and ensure there are clear legal guarantees before handing over large sums of money.

Meanwhile, the accused, Ryzky Febriyan, has been detained by the police for further questioning in this case.