Monetisation Scheme Behind Online Gambling Using Live Pornography Uncovered

Polda Metro Jaya has successfully uncovered a case of pornography linked to gambling within the electronic system of the HOT51 application, revealing the monetisation scheme behind the service. The monetisation scheme is a method or strategy used by individuals, businesses, or content creators to generate revenue from their products, services, or assets. In this case, they ‘sold’ pornographic services and embedded gambling within them. “Investigation results indicate the application was allegedly used for gambling and live broadcasts containing pornography,” said Polda Metro Jaya Chief Komjen Asep Edi Suheri during a press conference on Friday (26/6). Nine individuals and five corporations have been named as suspects in this case. The nine individual suspects include WS, BF, RM, OV, XR, and MPN, along with a foreign national, SB, who has been placed on the wanted list. The five corporate suspects are PT HSR, PT PDN, PT MDS, PT CDS, and PT IDI. The individual suspects are charged under Article 426 of the Criminal Code, carrying a maximum penalty of 9 years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to Rp 2 billion. They also face charges under Article 407 of the Criminal Code concerning Pornography Offences, with a minimum sentence of 6 months and a maximum of 10 years’ imprisonment, plus a fine ranging from Rp 200 million to Rp 2 billion. Additionally, Article 607 of the Criminal Code on money laundering applies, with a maximum penalty of 15 years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to Rp 5 billion. The five corporations are charged under Articles 118, 119, 120, 121, and 122 of the Criminal Code in conjunction with Articles 45, 46, 47, 48, and 49 concerning corporate criminal liability, facing penalties of up to 7 years’ imprisonment and a maximum corporate fine of Rp 2 billion. Director of General Criminal Investigation Kombes Iman Imanuddin elaborated on the modus operandi, explaining that the pornography was conducted through a live streaming feature within the HOT51 application. Viewers watching the erotic broadcasts paid by sending virtual gifts to the female hosts performing the acts. To make payments or deposits for purchasing these gifts, the syndicate deceived the national banking system using virtual account channels managed by payment gateway PT PDN, virtual accounts from PT HSR, and a corporate account under the name PT KAJP. “The financial profits collected from viewers’ virtual gift tips did not stop within the application. The proceeds from the pornography crime were then converted into cash through corporate payment gateway service providers and shell company accounts,” explained Kombes Iman. “The virtual account facilities of the payment gateway corporations were deliberately misused to facilitate and disguise the flow of illicit funds from the crime,” he continued. After being converted into cash, the illicit funds were distributed in a structured manner as tiered commissions to the agency network in the field. The commission distribution flow operated across four agency hierarchy levels. OV, arrested in the North Aceh region, acted as the master agent, responsible for recruiting hosts, agents, and super agents, managing the salary and commission distribution flow, and directly receiving the flow of criminal proceeds from the payment gateway company accounts. The total fund turnover in this case reached billions of rupiah, amounting to Rp 559 billion. “The syndicate managed illicit funds with a combined volume of Rp 559,848,693,338,” said Kombes Iman. He detailed the money flows managed by the payment gateway partners: PT IDI managed Rp 161.8 billion, PT MDS managed Rp 68.2 billion, and PT CDS managed Rp 26.3 billion. Investigators have blocked 118 bank accounts and virtual accounts and seized cash amounting to Rp 14,962,046,000. “This scheme clearly illustrates how the criminal funds from the HOT51 application were accommodated and disguised through the misuse of payment gateway corporate virtual account facilities and shell company accounts,” he concluded.