Doctor arrested for fraud

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.