KPK Conducts Sting Operation on Tulungagung Regent in Pendopo After Handover of Extortion Proceeds

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has revealed details of a sting operation (OTT) conducted against Tulungagung Regent Gatut Sunu Wibowo (GSW). The KPK stated that the OTT took place during the handover of extortion money from a Head of Regional Device Organisation (OPD) to Regent Gatut in the Pendopo of the Tulungagung Regency Government.

KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo explained that the investigative team initially received information about a planned handover of money from an OPD head to the Regent in the pendopo. The money is suspected to be the proceeds of extortion carried out by Regent Gatut against one of the OPDs.

“The team received information about a planned handover of money from one of the agencies to the Regent. It was triggered by the Regent’s needs, so a sum of money was prepared,” Budi said during a press conference at the KPK building in South Jakarta on Saturday (11/4/2026).

“And the handover of the money was done through intermediaries, both the giver’s intermediary and the recipient’s intermediary from the Regent’s side, in this case Mr YOG, where the handover took place in the pendopo,” he continued.

After the money was handed over, the investigative team immediately secured the parties present in the pendopo at the time, including the evidence in the form of the money to be handed over.

“After the handover, the team secured the parties and the evidence. Including in the form of cash, so the total cash secured in this sting operation is Rp335 million,” he stated.

Budi noted that the Rp335 million secured is part of the total alleged receipts already obtained by the Regent, amounting to around Rp2.7 billion. The billions in money were obtained from 16 OPDs in the Tulungagung Regency area.

In addition to the money, investigators also secured evidence in the form of four pairs of shoes. Budi said that Regent Gatut always demanded reimbursement for the shoes he had purchased.

“This is why we also show it, because from the facts obtained by the team, the Regent always carried out reimbursements or demanded compensation for expenses that had already been incurred,” Budi explained.

“Even for the purchase of those shoes, he demanded that the costs be covered by the regional devices or OPDs. As well as costs for medical needs, dining arrangements, and other personal expenses,” he added.

He explained that the four pairs of shoes secured consisted of several, one of which was a luxury brand from Louis Vuitton (LV). If totalled, the four pairs of shoes have a value of up to Rp129 million.

Regent Threatens Officials with Resignation Letters

It is known that Regent Gatut threatened his officials with resignation statements if they did not comply with his demands. KPK Deputy for Enforcement and Execution Asep Guntur Rahayu initially explained that the Regent Sunu’s demands were conveyed to his officials after they were inaugurated.

He immediately instructed his officials to sign resignation statements from their positions and to resign from the civil service.

“After the inauguration, GSW asked the officials to sign resignation statements from their positions and to resign from the civil service if they were unable to carry out the tasks and responsibilities given,” Asep said during the press conference on Saturday (11/4).

He stated that his officials were also asked to sign statements of responsibility for budget management in their respective work units. Asep said that the resignation statements from positions and civil service were deliberately made to pressure the officials.

“The resignation statements from positions and civil service were deliberately left undated, and copies were not given to the officials. This document was then allegedly used by GSW as a means to control and ‘pressure’ the officials to be loyal and obey every order from GSW. Those who were not ‘straight’ to the Regent would be threatened with dismissal from their positions or even resignation from civil service,” he said.

Indeed, Asep noted that his officials were then asked to hand over a sum of money to Regent Gatut. The money demand reached Rp5 billion.

“Then, GSW demanded a sum of money from the Heads of Regional Device Organisations (OPD) and other officials, either directly or through the intermediary Mr YOG (Dwi Yoga Ambal) as the Regent’s aide-de-camp, with a total demand of around Rp5 billion,” he stated.