Bankers probed on missing Rp 83b
Bankers probed on missing Rp 83b
JAKARTA (JP): Police are questioning six former executives of
a private bank arrested recently for allegedly defrauding their
own bank of Rp 83 billion (US$32 million).
City Police Spokesman Lt. Col. E. Aritonang said yesterday the
number of suspects in the Bank Asta case might rise following the
questioning.
"All six former executives are being detained at the city
police headquarters," Aritonang said.
The six were named as former owner Nugraha Tirtanata; former
president director Edy Setiadi; former director Fauzi Zulkarnain;
former treasurer Ratna Yulistianingrum; former marketing director
Kresna Linardi; and a former commissioner Agung Darma Wijaya.
"They were arrested two weeks ago based on a report dated July
4 made by the bank's new board of directors," Aritonang said.
He said the bank fraud allegedly began in 1995.
He said there were three aspects to the fraud: buying deposit
certificates, commercial papers and bonds.
In the first method, Nugraha ordered Bank Asta to buy deposit
certificates from another bank. In cooperation with an executive
of that bank, Nugraha then withdrew the money, said Aritonang.
Nugraha also issued commercial papers bearing the name of his
other company, PT Wahyu Tata Wangsa. The papers were endorsed by
three banks.
He then asked Bank Asta to buy the commercial papers and then
sent the money to the three banks from which he withdrew the
money, said Aritonang.
Nugraha also collected money by ordering Bank Asta to buy
bonds through a security company. All the money used by the bank
was borrowed from other banks.
Aritonang said all three methods were registered by then
treasurer Ratna but Bank Asta never received either the
commercial deposits, the commercial papers or the bonds.
He said the police were still investigating executives from
other banks who were allegedly involved in the fraud.
The fraud was uncovered after Bank Asta was taken over by
businessman Bambang N. Rachmadi three months ago. (jun)