Former Metro TV News Reader, Dalton Tanonaka, is Arrested After Being a Fugitive for 2 Years

Dalton Tanonaka mengenakan rompi tahanan (Foto: Rizky Adytia P/VOI)

JAKARTA - The Attorney General's Office (AGO) arrested a foreign national (WNA) from the United States (US), Dalton Ichiro Tanonaka. Dalton has been a fugitive since 2018 as a convict on fraud and embezzlement.

Head of the AGO of Legal Information, Hari Setiyono, said that the police arrested Dalton Tanonaka in the South Jakarta area, on Wednesday, October 7, in the early hours of the morning.

"Arrested at his residence in an apartment in the Permata Hijau area at around 00.40 WIB," Hari told reporters, Wednesday, October 7.

Dalton Tanonaka was involved in fraud and embezzlement with investment mode. Dalton, a former newsreader for Metro TV, persuaded the victim to invest USD 1 million in his television programming company, PT Melia Media Internasional. 

According to Hari, Dalton lured victims with a gain of up to 25%. However, the victims did not immediately believe it and asked Dalton to show his company profile.

Dalton then argued that if they wanted to see his company profile, they had to deposit an investment of USD 500 thousand. The victim is deceived and agrees.

"The convict's promises turned out to be not true. The company did not make a profit, but suffered considerable losses," said Hari.

So, the victims reported the case the police. The trial was in 2014 at the Central Jakarta District Court.

Got Free from Legal Bonds

From that trial, Dalton was found guilty and sentenced to prison for two years and six months. However, he submitted an appeal to the DKI Jakarta High Court. As a result, he was found not guilty.

"The Jakarta High Court handed down a verdict which released the defendant from criminal charges," said Hari.

The public prosecutor then submitted an appeal to the Supreme Court (MA). The submission was accepted, and based on the Supreme Court Decision Number: 761 K / Pid / 2018 dated October 4, 2018, Dalton was found guilty and sentenced to 3 years in prison.

"The Supreme Court received cassation, so the convict was sentenced to 3 years, and has permanent legal force," he said.

However, after the verdict, Dalton's whereabouts are unknown. Until finally, after being a fugitive for about two years, the police arrested Dalton Tanonaka.