Profile of Samin Tan, Indonesia's Richest Man Caught in Corruption Case
JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Samin Tan has once again come under the spotlight after being designated as a suspect by the Attorney General’s Office in a case of alleged corruption in the management of coal mining in Murung Raya Regency, Central Kalimantan.
In the latest development of the Samin Tan case, investigators believe they have gathered sufficient evidence to establish this legal status. Samin Tan was immediately detained at the Salemba Detention Centre of the Attorney General’s Office in the early hours of Saturday (28/3/2026).
This case relates to the activities of PT Asmin Koalindo Tuhup (AKT). In the investigation’s framework, Samin Tan is known to be the beneficial owner of the company, which previously operated under a Coal Mining Business Work Agreement (PKP2B) scheme.
Investigators also suspect that these activities involved state officials with authority in mining oversight.
Several locations in West Java, DKI Jakarta, Central Kalimantan, and South Kalimantan have been searched to strengthen the evidence.
In addition to the alleged criminal violations, the Forest Area Regulation Task Force (Satgas PKH) is said to have imposed an administrative fine of up to Rp 4.2 trillion. However, this obligation was not fulfilled.
The Attorney General’s Office states that the potential state losses from this case are still being calculated by the Financial and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP). Samin Tan is charged under Articles 603 and 604 of the Criminal Code.
In the case, he is alleged to have given Rp 5 billion to Eni Maulani Saragih to handle the termination of the PKP2B.
However, in 2021, the panel of judges at the Jakarta Corruption Court ruled that Samin Tan was freed by the Corruption Eradication Commission from all charges.
The judges ruled that under the Corruption Eradication Law, the party that can be prosecuted in gratuity cases is the recipient, not the giver. Meanwhile, Eni Maulani Saragih was sentenced to 6 years in prison and a fine of Rp 200 million.
In the early 2000s, he founded the investment company Renaissance Capital Asia and began developing business in the mining sector.
Since 2007, he has actively built a coal business through PT Borneo Lumbung Energi and Metal Tbk, which was listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange in 2010.
His name also gained global recognition after serving as Chairman of Bumi Plc on the London Stock Exchange.
In 2011, Forbes magazine placed Samin Tan on the list of Indonesia’s richest people with an estimated wealth of 940 million US dollars or about Rp 8 trillion.