Rafael Alun's Gratification Money Allegedly KPK Flows To Massage Business

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) suspects that the gratuity money received by former officials of the Directorate General of Taxes at the Ministry of Finance (Kemenkeu) Rafael Alun has flowed to a number of businesses. One of them is a reflection massage business.

This allegation strengthened after the President Commissioner of PT Keluarga Segar Sehat, Sjamsuri Liga was questioned on Thursday, July 20. At that time, investigators were asked for information regarding the money laundering crime (TPPU) that ensnared Rafael.

"If we are summoned here, of course, we suspect that the company or the person has flowed money resulting from a criminal act of corruption," Acting Deputy for Enforcement and Execution of the KPK Asep Guntur told reporters at the KPK's Red and White Building, Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta, Monday, July 24.

Asep has not yet detailed Rafael's money laundering method in the massage business. He just said everything would be investigated more deeply, including the possibility of investing in business capital.

"When called whether he bought property from RAT's brother (Rafael Alun), or for example in the form of a company, whether there was investment or a stock of capital there, or indeed owned by the same company concerned," explained Asep.

"What is clear is that our concept is to trace money that is suspected of being the proceeds of corruption," he added.

Furthermore, Asep ensured that investigators would follow the flow of money. "We will ask for information whether it is true, for example, that the company's capital comes from the proceeds of criminal acts of corruption," he said.

Rafael is suspected of having received gratuities of 90,000 US dollars from several taxpayers through his company, PT Artha Mega Ekadhana (AME). This acceptance has occurred since 2011 when he served as Head of Audit, Investigation, and Tax Collection at the Regional Office of the Directorate General of Taxes East Java 1.

Rafael's number of gratuities can still increase because investigators are still continuing to investigate. Given that the company has handled many clients who have difficulty reporting tax books.

Next, the KPK named Rafael as a suspect in the alleged crime of money laundering (TPPU). He is suspected of diverting or disguising the hot money he received.

In this development, investigators confiscated a number of Rafael's assets. Among them are Toyota Camry and Land Cruiser cars, a big motorbike of the Triumph 1,200 CC type.

It did not stop there, the anti-corruption commission confiscated 20 assets in the form of land and buildings spread across a number of cities such as Yogyakarta and Manado. The value reaches Rp150 billion.