Case Of Bodong Medical Devices COVID-19 Investment Of IDR 30 Billion, Surabaya Residents Become Suspects

Head of Public Relations of the East Java Police Kombes Gatot Repli Handoko/DOK ANTARA

SURABAYA - The East Java Regional Police (Polda) has uncovered a case of alleged fraudulent investment in medical devices (alkes) in Surabaya. The police have named one suspect with the initials TNA, a resident of Surabaya.

"Losses in this case are estimated at more than Rp. 30 billion," said Head of Public Relations of the East Java Police, Kombes Gatot Repli Handoko, in Surabaya, Wednesday, January 26.

Gatot emphasized that in this case the suspect acted as the brains behind the perpetrator. The suspect is also said to have recruited several people to become his subordinates.

"The suspect then invited several people to participate in this fictitious medical equipment investment," he said.

Meanwhile, Head of Sub-Directorate for Jatanras, Ditreskrimum, Polda Jatim, AKBP Lintar Mahargono, said the modus operandi used by the suspect was to offer a profit of Rp. 40 percent from 12 to 17 days after the investor transferred some money to him.

"The suspect promised a profit of 40 percent of the transferred capital," he said.

To convince his victims, the suspect also recruited several agents who were tasked with finding prey. In addition, he also provided the agents with work orders (SPK projects) which he obtained from a number of hospitals.

"He took samples of medical equipment packages on Google, then he also printed fictitious SPKs claimed from a number of hospitals outside Java, to convince the victims," he said.

AKBP Lintar said, from the 6 police reports he received, the total loss suffered by the victims was Rp. 30 billion. The number of losses and the number of victims, he said, might increase considering that the suspect had been carrying out his actions since 2020.

AKBP Lintar also confirmed that the suspect took advantage of the COVID-19 condition to attract victims.

"Most of the medical devices offered are for COVID-19 needs. So he assures his victims that the medical devices will definitely sell well in the market," he said.

In this case, the suspect was charged with Article 378 of the Criminal Code concerning fraud and Articles 3, 4, 5, 6 in conjunction with Article 10 of Law No. 8 of 2010 concerning the Crime of Money Laundering (TPPU).