Asset Tracing Deemed Crucial in Handling Alleged Customer Fraud Case
Asset tracing efforts are considered a crucial step in handling the alleged fraud case involving a former employee of Bank Mandiri Taspen’s Purwokerto branch. Beyond uncovering the flow of funds from the suspected criminal activity, tracking assets is deemed essential to recovering losses for victims, which are reported to have reached billions of rupiah.
Legal expert from Universitas Jenderal Soedirman, Hibnu Nugroho, stated that law enforcement in such cases should not solely focus on identifying the perpetrator. He emphasised that returning the victims’ losses must also be a priority through asset tracing mechanisms. “The important thing is not just uncovering the perpetrator, but also how the victims’ money can be returned. Therefore, asset tracing is very important so it can be used for restitution to the victims,” Hibnu said in Purwokerto on Wednesday.
He assessed that asset tracing should be conducted from the early stages of the investigation so that assets suspected to be derived from criminal proceeds can be secured immediately. This step is considered critical given the substantial value of the losses suffered by the victims. Hibnu also highlighted the alleged modus operandi of the suspect, who reportedly exploited the trust-based relationship built between bank employees and customers. “The relationship between a bank employee and a customer is fundamentally built on trust, so the abuse of that relationship can cause losses for the victim while also damaging public trust in the banking sector,” he said.
He added that investigators need to explore the possibility of other parties being involved in the case. “Whether he acted alone or with others, that is the question. Usually, in cases like this, the possibility of other parties’ involvement must be examined,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Banyumas Police Chief, Commissioner Petrus P. Silalahi, said his party has taken several steps to secure assets suspected to be linked to the case. The Banyumas Police have coordinated with the National Land Agency (BPN) to block the suspect’s immovable assets to prevent their transfer during the investigation process. The assets being traced include land, buildings, and a café suspected to be owned by the suspect. Additionally, investigators are cooperating with the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK) to trace the flow of funds and accounts suspected to be connected to the case. Examinations are being conducted not only on accounts belonging to the suspect but also on accounts of family members and other parties with relationships or affiliations to him.
“This step is taken to identify assets suspected to originate from criminal proceeds while also uncovering the possible involvement of other parties,” said Petrus. In this case, the suspect, identified by the initials N alias D (36), who previously worked as a pension account officer, allegedly exploited the reputation and trust built during his tenure in the banking environment to offer investment and savings programmes with high returns that were not official bank products. Investigators suspect the transactions were conducted outside the banking system, resulting in the funds handed over by victims falling into the suspect’s personal control. To date, the police are continuing to develop the investigation to uncover all involved parties and ensure that assets suspected to be derived from criminal acts can be secured for the purpose of recovering the victims’ losses.