Bank scam mastermind 'has fled abroad'<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The owner of Bank Dwipa and alleged mastermind
\nof a Rp 200 billion (US58.83 million) scam at the bank has fled
\noverseas, according to the police.<\/p>\n
Bambang Samiono left Jakarta before the Immigration Office
\nbanned him from leaving the country, National Police Chief Gen.
\nDibyo Widodo said Wednesday.<\/p>\n
\"He is believed to be hiding somewhere in Singapore.\"<\/p>\n
The Indonesian police have contacted their counterparts in
\nSingapore via Interpol to trace Bambang's whereabouts, Dibyo
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Despite the absence of an extradition treaty between the two
\ncountries, Dibyo vowed to bring Bambang back to Jakarta for
\nquestioning over his alleged role in the scam.<\/p>\n
\"We are going to find him wherever he tries to hide,\" the
\nfour-star general promised.<\/p>\n
Dibyo said that Bambang allegedly made off with most of the
\nmoney which he and his accomplices gained in the scam.<\/p>\n
Bambang's six accomplices were arrested separately last week
\nfor their alleged involvement in the conspiracy.<\/p>\n
The six arrested suspects are Bank Dwipa's operations director
\nBenny Ondong; marketing director M. Wiyono; the head of the
\naccounting division, Suwandi; marketing employee Harry Yanuar;
\nauthorization staffer Iwan Muchtar and Bambang's right-hand man
\nJuli Danuar.<\/p>\n
Dibyo said that Juli had already been arrested by the City
\nPolice for his alleged role in another bank fraud, the Rp 800
\nbillion Bank Perniagaan scam.<\/p>\n
Same techniques<\/p>\n
The perpetrators of the Bank Dwipa scam used techniques very
\nsimilar to those used in other bank scams to manipulate the data,
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
\"They made fake loans and issued commercial papers,
\ncertificates and deposits to the public but did not record the
\ntransactions in their entirety,\" said Dibyo.<\/p>\n
Some commercial papers issued by the privately owned bank and
\nproof of the fake loans were recently confiscated by some of the
\narrested suspects, said Dibyo without giving further details.<\/p>\n
\"They're not only cheating the customers but also the central
\nbank, Bank Indonesia, by manipulating their financial data and
\nfigures to conceal the fraud,\" Dibyo said.<\/p>\n
If the investigation proves that the suspects cheated the
\ncustomers by manipulating the transaction money, they will be
\ncharged under Article 378 of the Criminal Code on fraud, which
\ncarries a maximum of 15 years imprisonment and a Rp 10 billion
\nfine.<\/p>\n
If they are then found guilty of taking advantage of their
\nposition in the bank to manipulate the bank's books and figures,
\nthey will be charged under the 1971 Corruption Law Number 3 and
\nface a maximum 20-year prison sentence and\/or a Rp 30 million
\nfine.<\/p>\n
Perniagaan's<\/p>\n
In the past few months, the police have uncovered at least
\nfour bank scams in the city. Almost all were masterminded by
\nexecutives and former executives of the banks concerned, most of
\nwhich are privately owned.<\/p>\n
The other three banks recently stung by corruption scandals
\nare Bank Perniagaan, Bank Arta Prima and Bank Asta.<\/p>\n
In connection with the Rp 800 billion Bank Perniagaan scam,
\npolice have arrested at least five of the bank's former
\nexecutives, a businessman and four former employees of Bank
\nIndonesia, the central bank.<\/p>\n
The mastermind, Hindoro Halim, who is also the owner of Bank
\nPerniagaan, is still at large.<\/p>\n
According to City Police Chief Maj. Gen. Hamami Nata, police
\nhave already asked the Immigration Office to ban Hindoro from
\nleaving the country.<\/p>\n
Hamami told reporters Wednesday that police seized other
\nmaterial evidence related to the scam last week, including four
\ncars registered under Hindoro's name.<\/p>\n
The confiscated cars are a white Volvo 960, a black Volvo 960,
\na dark green Nissan Patrol and a metallic silver Toyota Starlet.<\/p>\n
\"The vehicles are now being kept at the City Police
\nHeadquarters,\" Hamami said. (cst)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/bank-scam-mastermind-has-fled-abroad-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}