Fraudster gains Rp 140b from fictive projects<\/p>\n
Evi Mariani, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Many people are easily trapped by their own greed and
\npromises of quick get-rich schemes although reports about the
\nvictims of con artists are often reported in both the electronic
\nand print media.<\/p>\n
Fraudster Kemal Rafli, was able to collect a total of Rp 140
\nbillion (US$15.5 million) from at least 20 people who were lured
\nby his promises of huge profits with minimum risk.<\/p>\n
The suspect, who had been detained by the South Jakarta
\nPolice, claimed to be the president director of PT Kekar Warga
\nIndo. He boasted to the victims that he had secured purchase
\norder contracts from state-owned PT Krakatau Steel, but he needed
\ncapital to procure the orders.<\/p>\n
\"He showed some contracts that looked so real to my husband
\nand I a month ago,\" one of the victims, Florence told reporters
\non Tuesday.<\/p>\n
She said she and her husband had been in the procurement
\nbusiness for a long time, but as Kemal's documents looked
\nauthentic they did not suspect that he was a fraudster.<\/p>\n
\"He said he had won a tender from PT Krakatau Steel to supply
\na lot of things like gloves and steel helmets,\" Florence added.<\/p>\n
The couple handed over Rp 10 billion to Kemal without trying
\nto contact the steel producer for confirmation. She declined to
\nreveal how much profit Kemal promised them.<\/p>\n
\"The percentage of the profit he promised was reasonable, the
\nusual amount that we get from our procurement business,\" she said
\nat first. But later she said that the promised profit was higher
\nthan the usual amount.<\/p>\n
Florence said later learned from friends that there were as
\nmany as 20 other victims who had been duped by Kemal.<\/p>\n
Another victim, Hadi, who reported the scam to the Jakarta
\nPolice on Tuesday, said that he lost Rp 440 million to Kemal. He
\nmet with Kemal three months ago and accepted his offer to finance
\nKemal's rubber gloves contract with the company.<\/p>\n
\"He first asked for Rp 600 million and promised to give the
\nmoney back in a month, along with Rp 400 million in profit,\" Hadi
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Indeed a month later, Kemal gave Rp 1 billion to Hadi.
\nSatisfied with the partnership, Hadi gave more money for the
\nsecond procurement to Kemal. This time Kemal showed his true
\ncolors.<\/p>\n
The victims, who previously had never meet each other, then
\nworked together to get their money back.<\/p>\n
A number of victims including Hadi reported the fraud to
\nJakarta Police on Tuesday, while Florence and several other
\nvictims plan to file a report on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
South Jakarta Police chief Sr. Comr. Ghufron said his
\ndetectives had detained Kemal over the weekend.<\/p>\n
\"We detained him for fraud as reported by Ibu Ida who said she
\nlost Rp 6.5 billion to Kemal,\" said the police officer.<\/p>\n
Citing the suspect's own confession, Ghufron said 20 victims
\nhad given a total of Rp 140 billion to Kemal.<\/p>\n
Ghufron said that Kemal admitted he had swindled about Rp 140
\nbillion from at least 20 victims.<\/p>\n
The victims, who still hope to regain their money, are urging
\npolice to speed up their investigation.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/fraudster-gains-rp-140b-from-fictive-projects-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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