Polda Metro Jaya Uncovers Monetisation Scheme Behind HOT51 Pornography App

Investigators from the General Crimes Sub-Directorate of the Polda Metro Jaya have successfully unravelled the criminal scheme behind the electronic system pornography on the HOT51 application. The HOT51 app is an electronic system providing gambling services and live-streamed pornography. During a press conference at Polda Metro Jaya, Jakarta, on Friday (26/6), details emerged on how this criminal syndicate generated and circulated financial profits from the exploitation of erotic content. “Investigation results indicate the application was allegedly used for gambling and live broadcasts containing pornography,” said Polda Metro Jaya Chief, Commissioner General Asep Edi Suheri. The modus operandi of this pornography crime was carried out through a live-streaming feature within the HOT51 application. Viewers watching the erotic shows paid the female hosts performing the acts by sending virtual gifts. To make these payments or deposits to purchase gifts, the syndicate circumvented the national banking system using Virtual Account channels managed by the Payment Gateway of PT PDN, Virtual Accounts from PT HSR, and a corporate account under the name of PT KAJP. “The financial profits collected from viewers’ virtual gift tips did not stop within the application. The proceeds of this pornography crime were then converted into cash through corporate payment gateway service providers and shell company accounts,” explained Senior Commissioner Iman. “The corporate payment gateway’s virtual account facilities were deliberately misused so that the illicit flow of criminal proceeds could be accommodated and disguised.” After being converted into cash, the illicit funds from the pornography crime were distributed in a structured manner as tiered commissions to the agency network on the ground. The commission distribution flow moved through four levels of agency hierarchy: OV, arrested in North Aceh, acted as a 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. RM, arrested in Gresik, East Java, acted as a Super Agent, tasked with recruiting hosts and agents, promoting the application on social media, and managing the salary or commission distribution flow for agents and hosts under him. BF, arrested in West Jakarta, acted as an Agent, responsible for recruiting hosts, promoting the application on social media, and managing the direct distribution of salaries or commissions to the hosts. WS, arrested in Ngawi, East Java, acted directly as a Host for the HOT51 application, employed to perform pornographic scenes to lure gifts from viewers. The remaining massive profits, after deductions from the circulation of commission distributions to the gambling and pornography agency network on the ground, were then channelled upwards. “This illicit fund flow scheme ultimately leads to a syndicate of foreign nationals from China acting as the intellectual actors, funding initiators, and main controlling parties (beneficial owners), including suspect XR arrested in Lumajang and fugitive XB,” he stated.