'Arisan' money goes missing

'Arisan' money goes missing

JAKARTA: The high hopes of over 200 lottery participants to
win big money ahead of Idul Fitri celebration were bitterly
dashed on Thursday when they discovered that the lottery
coordinator had disappeared, and with her Rp 1.3 billion
(US$153,000) in cash.

One of the victims, Susiana Jahra, 33, of Ciputat, Tangerang,
reported Lydia, the lottery coordinator, to the police. She
complained that she lost Rp 132 million in the lottery.

Lydia, who is still missing, had collected money from more
than 200 residents from December last year until Oct. 16. She
promised that all lottery participants would get their money one
week after the beginning of the Ramadhan, or about two weeks ago.

However, none of the participants ever received any money and
have not heard from Lydia since October. She has not been seen in
recent weeks at her home in Ciputat.

A police investigator of Ciputat police subprecinct Adj. Comr.
Zulfan said that the police were questioning Aming Sutisna, 31,
one of Lydia's employees who helped her to collect money from the
lottery participants. --JP.