BTN Responds to Rp17 Billion Customer Funds Dispute
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia — PT Bank Tabungan Negara (Persero) Tbk (BBTN) has responded to claims that customer Linawati lost Rp17 billion, which have once again circulated widely on social media. BTN Corporate Secretary Ramon Armando said the claim must be supported by verifiable evidence.
He said the bank currently had no records supporting the customer’s Rp17 billion claim. BTN would not shirk its obligation to compensate her if a court ruling that had acquired permanent legal force found the bank liable.
“BTN has never avoided responsibility. However, a claim for Rp17 billion in losses cannot automatically be treated as an obligation of BTN without clear proof,” he said in a statement on Tuesday (13 October 2026).
He stressed that the bank respected every customer’s right to pursue their interests. However, any claim for losses must be assessed on the basis of facts, transaction evidence and applicable law, rather than simply on the basis of opinions circulating in the public sphere.
“The customer’s compensation demands have changed and been inconsistent, which is suspicious,” he said.
Ramon said BTN had been handling the issue concerning Linawati’s funds since 2022 through an internal investigation, transaction tracing and legal action against individuals connected with the case.
BTN also pointed to a discrepancy between the loss figure reported publicly and the amount stated in the latest civil lawsuit. The customer’s family has publicly claimed that about Rp17 billion was lost, while Linawati’s latest lawsuit seeks approximately Rp7 billion.
Ramon added that an earlier civil suit was ruled inadmissible by the Central Jakarta District Court on 18 February 2025. The customer subsequently filed another civil suit, which is currently being examined by the court. BTN respects the proceedings and will present the facts and evidence it holds through the judicial process.
Ramon also said BTN had taken legal action against an individual connected with the case. The bank’s report to law enforcement was followed up, and the individual was found guilty by the East Jakarta District Court and sentenced to three years in prison.
“BTN took firm action by reporting the individual to law enforcement. This demonstrates that the company does not tolerate breaches of the law, including those committed by its own staff,” Ramon said.
However, the criminal verdict against the individual does not in itself determine the amount of compensation BTN may owe. Liability in civil law and the disputed value of the losses still require a separate evidentiary process.
Ramon said that, as a state-owned bank, BTN was obliged to ensure that every financial decision had a clear and accountable legal basis. The company therefore could not pay a claim solely in response to public opinion, as doing so could be considered detrimental to state finances.
“We reiterate that if a final court ruling finds BTN liable and determines the amount of compensation, BTN will pay. We will not evade that obligation. That is our commitment,” Ramon said.
Meanwhile, according to evidence presented in the East Jakarta District Court criminal case numbered 734/Pid.Sus/2023/PN JKT.TIM, Linawati was found to have been involved and negligent: she knowingly breached the principle of financial prudence by deliberately signing a blank Customer Information File (CIF) form, solely to pursue her personal ambition of obtaining an offer of a high interest rate that was clearly outside the bounds of reasonableness and official banking rules.