Allegedly Deceived By Tens Of Rejang Lebong Residents Of Up To IDR 5 Billion, Bodong Arisan Bandar Arrested By Police

A number of victims of fraudulent social gathering came to the Rejang Lebong Police Headquarters/ANTARA

REJANG LEBONG - Police officers from the Rejang Lebong Resort, Bengkulu, have arrested a suspected fraudulent social gathering dealer that caused hundreds of participants to lose money. The total loss is estimated to reach Rp 5 billion.

Rejang Lebong Police Chief AKBP Tonny Kurniawan represented by Head of Criminal Investigation Unit AKP Sampson Sosa Hutapea said the alleged perpetrator with the initials BU was arrested on Monday at around 11.00 WIB while in Teladan Village, South Curup District, Rejang Lebong Regency.

"We have secured it now. His status is still as a witness because it needs further investigation and the suspect is still undergoing further investigation," said Sampson Sosa at the Rejang Lebong Police Headquarters, Antara, Monday, July 4.

He explained that for now only one person has been secured. The person concerned arrived at the Rejang Lebong Police Reskim Building at around 11.25 WIB and was seen with his husband and toddler child.

His party is ready to receive reports from hundreds of victims, of which so far there have been dozens of victims who have made reports to the Rejang Lebong Police Headquarters and the Bengkulu Police.

"We accommodate all but the reports are combined, so not all victims will be included in the reporting later. Apart from the Rejang Lebong Police, there is also a report at the Bengkulu Police which may be made by the people in Bengkulu City," he explained.

So far, the alleged perpetrator, he added, is still under investigation by investigating officers and further investigation is being carried out, whether the case falls into the category of fraud, embezzlement, or violation of the ITE Law.

Previously, hundreds of residents of Rejang Lebong Regency and a number of other areas in Bengkulu claimed to be victims of a fake social gathering carried out by one of the residents of the area with a loss value of Rp. 5 billion.

This bogus social gathering is controlled by an admin who is known to have the initials BU, a resident of Karang Anyar Village, East Curup District, Rejang Lebong Regency, with a deposit range for each participant starting from IDR 5 million, IDR 10 million, IDR 15 million and IDR 20 million.

From that deposit, the participants within a period of several months are promised to receive double the profit from the funds deposited even more depending on the promo given by the admin.