Doctor arrested for fraud

Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang

The police arrested a medical doctor on Wednesday at his home in Keroncong Permai housing complex, Jatiuwung district, Tangerang municipality following complaints filed by fellow physicians.

At least 192 physicians had been conned by the suspect, identified as Achmad Fauzi, to invest a total of Rp 2.6 billion (US$305,880) in the distribution of an unknown cooking oil brand, Lasuri palm oil.

According to one of the victims, Saefudin, a doctor at the Jatiuwung public health center, the suspect manages several private health clinics in the municipality and, as of last October, also owns the branch office of PT Panca Perkasa Indonesia, the distributor of Lasuri palm oil.

"The suspect offered us the chance to invest in his business and promised us a 10 percent return every month on the money each of us had invested," he said.

"For the first and the second month, we did receive the promised profit, but, starting December, we got nothing."

Several investors then asked the suspect to return their money, but he refused. They later filed a complaint with the police.

Among those who filed a complaint are Dr. Lasmida, the wife of Tangerang health agency head Nuriman Machyudin, who invested Rp 220 million; Amir Sitindaon who invested Rp 75 million, Siti Fatonah who invested Rp 72 million and Ong Awarudin who invested Rp 50 million.

They claimed that the suspect had removed all his valuables from the house so police could not confiscate it to use to repay the victims.

The Jatiuwung Police are still investigating the case.