Selling Cheap Cooking Oil, This Woman Turned Out To Be A Trick Of Her Friend To Hundreds Of Millions

ES, suspect in cooking oil fraud up to hundreds of millions/ Photo: IST

JAKARTA - West Jakarta Kebon Jeruk Police have arrested a woman with the initials ES (31) on suspicion of a cooking oil fraud case. ES reported 12 victims with losses reaching Rp 500 million.

West Jakarta Metro Police Head of Public Relations, Kompol Moch Taufik Iksan, said the suspect dared to sell cooking oil at a low price of Rp. 20,000, while the price was Rp. 25 thousand. That's what makes the victims tempted.

"The perpetrator initially gave cooking oil to the victim, then over time the perpetrator did not return the cooking oil as promised," said Kompol Taufik, his nickname, when confirmed, Wednesday, August 3.

Meanwhile, the Head of the Kebon Jeruk Police, Kompol H Slamet Riyadi, explained that the perpetrator knew the victims, so at first the victim did not suspect anything.

Slamet explained, around February 2022, the perpetrators met and contacted the victims. The perpetrator admitted that he was an entrepreneur who had a complete business license and was in charge of selling cooking oil at normal prices. The perpetrator also claimed to have sufficient stock (cooking oil), and a close and safe warehouse.

"Meanwhile, the availability of oil in the market was very scarce, even the price was much higher than the previous normal price," said Kompol H Slamet Riyadi.

For the offer, continued Slamet, the victims were tempted to get the cooking oil. The victims ordered and bought cooking oil from the perpetrators by paying in cash, and transferring them from the victims' accounts to the perpetrators' accounts.

Purchases are made in stages by transferring with a purchase value of Rp. 500 thousand to Rp. 100 million. The victims were promised every Saturday the cooking oil they had purchased would be given to them by the perpetrators.

But over time, continued the police chief, of all purchase transactions, the perpetrators used some of the victim's money for personal gain.

"The victims who have not been paid by the perpetrators are around 500 million rupiah, the perpetrators have used the victims' money for the perpetrators' daily needs as much as 50 million rupiah," he said again.

When the victim asks which cooking oil has been purchased, the perpetrator always promises with various reasons. However, until now, the cooking oil promised by the perpetrators has not been proven.

Even when checking was carried out at the place that the perpetrator said was his warehouse, it turned out that the shop belonged to someone else who had nothing to do with the perpetrator.

"The perpetrator is only a buyer, there is even a purchase of cooking oil purchased by the perpetrator to the shop that has not been paid for so far," explained the Sector Police Chief.

Then the victims reported to the Kebon Jeruk Police. The perpetrator was arrested at his home along with the evidence of the transfer of the victims.

"The perpetrator was charged with Article 378 of the Criminal Code Juncto Article 372 of the Criminal Code," he concluded.