Journalists Become Tipu Drivers, 13 Sukabumi Residents Lose Hundreds Of Millions

Illustration of the perpetrator of the crime was arrested (ANTARA)

SUKABUMI - A journalist in Sukabumi, West Java was involved in a fraudulent investment case with the mode of renting and pawning PT AAP's residence which resulted in dozens of victims experiencing losses with a total of hundreds of millions of rupiah.

"It's true, the journalist with the initials H is suspected of being involved in a fraudulent investment case and currently the case is still being developed by the Criminal Investigation Unit (Satreskrim) of the Sukabumi City Police," said Head of Public Relations of the Sukabumi City Police, Iptu Astuti Setyaningsih, quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, April 23.

According to Astuti, information from the Sukabumi City Police Satreskrim investigators is still investigating a number of witnesses, victims and suspected perpetrators.

However, his party has not been able to provide further information because this case is still under development, but it is certain that the number of victims of fraudulent investments using the mode of renting and pawning houses continues to grow.

Previously, the Head of Criminal Investigation Unit of the Sukabumi City Police, AKP Bagus Panuntun, said that the alleged perpetrator's mode of carrying out the action was to offer a home investment program, where the victims were lured to own a house in just two years after investing.

Not only that, the alleged perpetrator also promised that the money invested by the victim would be returned only for administrative and other costs, so that many residents were tempted.

But in fact, the victims, who had been in the investment program's house for almost two years, were surprised after the owner of the house demanded rent which had stalled for six months, so inevitably they had to leave the house.

Receiving reports from dozens of victims, his party immediately went to the secretariat of PT AAP in Warudoyong District, Sukabumi City. However, when officers from the Sukabumi City Police Satreskrim arrived at the location, the secretariat was empty or abandoned.

"For the time being, the number of victims who reported as many as 13 people, but did not rule out the possibility that it would continue to grow. The losses suffered by victims varied from Rp. 20 million to Rp. 100 million," he said.

Meanwhile, one of the residents with the initials A (34) who claimed to be a victim of this fraudulent investment, admitted that he was surprised when he visited the secretariat of PT AAP to ask the status of the house investment contract. Where at the front of the entrance to the office it was written "for customers who feel aggrieved to immediately report to the Sukabumi City Police".

He realized that he was a victim of fraudulent investment when the owner of the house billed rent and immediately reported it to the Sukabumi City Police Headquarters. As a result of this case, A admitted that he had lost up to Rp30 million.