Nadiem Makarim Faces 18-Year Prison Demand as Prosecutors Expose White-Collar Fraud Scheme
Jakarta, VIVA – Former Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Mendikbudristek), Nadiem Makarim, has been demanded a 18-year prison sentence in a case of alleged corruption involving the procurement project for Chromebook laptops and Chrome Device Management (CDM) within the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology.
The Public Prosecutors (JPU) consider Nadiem to have been legally and convincingly proven to have committed the criminal act of corruption, described as a form of white-collar crime.
The demand was read out during a hearing at the Central Jakarta Corruption Court (Tipikor), on Wednesday, 13 May 2026. Public Prosecutor (JPU) Roy Riady stated that the defendant exploited his position and bureaucratic loopholes for personal interests and those of certain groups.
“The defendant used his authority to create a non-transparent system. Instead of strengthening the existing bureaucracy, he built decision-making mechanisms outside formal channels that culminated in commercial benefits for certain parties,” said JPU Roy, quoted on Thursday, 14 May 2026.
The prosecutors revealed allegations of structured conflicts of interest. Nadiem is said to have deliberately formed a shadow organisation outside the official ministry structure to direct policies for the benefit of certain businesses, particularly those affiliated with his technology corporation.
During the trial, the JPU also highlighted the increase in the defendant’s wealth, deemed disproportionate to his official income as a state official.
The prosecutors linked the Chromebook procurement project to an alleged fraud scheme in the management of PT AKAB, which is said to involve large investments from external parties.
“There was a Google investment of 786 million US dollars or approximately Rp11 trillion, but it was only recorded as Rp60 billion in the administrative report. We see a scheme to disguise the actual value to avoid taxes and cover up conflicts of interest,” Roy stated during the hearing.
In addition to the 18-year prison sentence, the prosecutors also demanded a fine of Rp1 billion subsidiary 190 days’ imprisonment. Not only that, Nadiem is also demanded to pay restitution of Rp5.6 trillion.
That amount consists of state losses from the procurement project of Rp809.59 billion and an additional Rp4.87 trillion deemed as assets whose legitimacy cannot be proven. If the restitution is not paid, Nadiem faces an additional nine years in prison.