Bogor Counterfeiter's Tricks: Posing as a Money-Doubling Shaman

Police have uncovered the modus operandi of a man named Mahfud alias MP (39), the perpetrator of money counterfeiting, who was arrested in a hotel room in the Kemang area, Bogor Regency, West Java. The suspect pretended to be a shaman who could multiply money. “The money from that coffee is planned to be circulated in society by pretending it’s money multiplication or shamanic practices,” said Deputy Head of Special Criminal Investigation at Metro Jaya Police, AKBP Martuasah Hermindo Tobing, during a press conference on Wednesday (1/4/2026). Martuasah explained that the suspect copied genuine Rp100,000 bills using a printer and cardstock paper. The counterfeit notes were then cut to resemble real money. The suspect, according to Martuasah, intended to entice victims with the promise of money multiplication. Martuasah stated that the money used was fake, produced by the suspect’s printing and photocopying. “So, he lures victims by claiming he can multiply money if they provide a certain amount, allowing the suspect to duplicate it,” he explained. Head of Sub-Directorate II Economic Banking at the Special Criminal Investigation Directorate of Metro Jaya Police, AKBP Robby Syahfery, added that the suspect planned to operate in his hometown in the Cianjur area, West Java. However, the suspect was first apprehended by investigators from the Special Criminal Investigation Directorate of Metro Jaya Police. “The shamanic practice has not yet taken place; he only had the idea with this box to offer in his village that he could multiply money,” he said. Robby added that the suspect acted alone. The fake money-doubling shaman trick was his own idea. “The suspect came up with the idea himself because he combined genuine money as a master with cardstock paper underneath. Four genuine notes were combined into one, then printed according to the printer’s width, and finally cut with a cutting tool,” he explained. Mahfud has now been designated as a suspect and is in custody. Police also seized several pieces of evidence, including a silver-coloured box containing fake money worth Rp650 million, a printer, and ink.