CS BRILink in Karangasem Embezzles Customer Funds Due to Debts and Gambling

The defendant in the customer funds corruption case at BRI in Karangasem, I Ketut Tunas, revealed the chronology and motives behind his actions during the defendant examination hearing at the Denpasar Corruption Court on Tuesday (31/3/2026). Before the panel of judges, he admitted to resorting to embezzling customer funds due to economic pressures, mounting debts, and a gambling addiction.

“I was really desperate. There was no initial intention; I thought I would return it,” he stated.

The case began with the defendant’s role as a Customer Service (CS) agent for BRILink services, handling cash deposits and withdrawals, transfers, and bill payments for the public. However, in practice, the money from customers was not deposited into the bank but used for personal purposes.

The acts were repeated from 2019 to 2023. Thirteen customers became victims, with total losses amounting to around Rp 863 million. During the trial, the defendant admitted to utilising his experience as a former customer service agent and teller to carry out his scheme.

“I was a former CS and teller, so I knew how to do it,” he said.

He also mentioned that the transactions went undetected because they were not recorded in the official system.

“It wasn’t monitored by audits because the transactions weren’t there,” he added.

Worse still, the defendant revealed that he got entangled in this case due to falling into gambling. He had experienced wins in tajen, or cockfighting.

“I won at tajen once, and from there I got carried away and kept playing,” he said.

However, the wins did not last long. He suffered consecutive losses and eventually used customer money to cover the deficits.

“I kept losing, then tried again to recoup the losses,” he explained.

In addition to gambling, the money was also used to pay off debts, including dozens of online loans (pinjol) and loans from other financial institutions, totalling around Rp 500 million excluding customer funds. His actions were carried out gradually as financial pressures intensified.

“I took it little by little. The intention to return it was there, but the ability wasn’t,” he clarified.

Of the total losses of over Rp 860 million, he claimed to have returned about Rp 172 million.

The defendant was known to have worked as a contract employee for BRI from 2013 to 2023. He had previously been a CS and teller with an initial salary of around Rp 2.8 million, before becoming a BRILink agent with earnings of about Rp 4 million per month.

During the trial, he also disclosed his family situation. His wife now lives with his in-laws in Lombok, while his parents are farmers in Bungaya Village, Karangasem.

He expressed deep regret for his actions and hopes for a chance to make amends. “I am very sorry. If given the opportunity, I will definitely return it,” he said.

The pressure from debts and gambling addiction even brought him to his lowest point. “I almost committed suicide twice,” he said softly.