Standstill in Richard Lee Case as He Is Detained by Police

Dr Richard Lee was detained by the police over an alleged consumer protection violation related to beauty products and services. He had previously failed to respond to police summons.

The Richard Lee case began with a complaint by a doctor-detective on 2 December 2024 with LP/B/7317/XII/2024/SPKT Polda Metro Jaya. Richard Lee was subsequently named a suspect on 15 December last year.

In January 2026, Richard Lee filed a pretrial challenge against the suspect designation by Polda Metro Jaya. The pretrial suit was registered with the South Jakarta District Court (PN Jaksel). The Metro Jaya investigators acknowledged the legal effort. Head of Public Information and Education division of Bidhumas Polda Metro Jaya, Kompol Andaru Rahutomo, confirmed Metro Jaya is ready to face the pretrial suit.

“We have received information that on 22 January, the DRL’s counsel filed a pretrial order at PN Jakarta Selatan against the designation of the suspect of DRL,” Andaru said.

Single-judge Justice Esthar Oktavi of PN Jakarta Selatan said the Richard Lee pretrial request could not be granted. “Reject the pretrial request of the Applicant. The court bears no costs,” the presiding judge said.

In its consideration, the judge stated that all police steps in handling the case were in accordance with applicable law. Accordingly, the designation of the suspect against Richard Lee was deemed lawful.

Travel ban abroad. In February 2026, police prevented Richard Lee from traveling abroad. Head of Public Relations of Polda Metro Jaya, Kombes Budi Hermanto, said the travel ban could be extended up to six months. “We also inform colleagues that the preventive/monitoring or cekal has been issued from 10 February 2026 to 1 March 2026 for 20 days to come,” Budi said at Polda Metro Jaya, Jakarta, on Wednesday (11 Feb 2026). He said investigators respected the judge’s decision to dismiss the pretrial. Investigators would schedule calls for Richard Lee.

“Investigators will reissue next week scheduling for the suspect DRL to be summoned in the continued investigation process at the Ditreskrimsus Polda Metro Jaya,” he said.

Richard Lee Detained. Polda Metro Jaya finally detained Dr Richard Lee. He had undergone questioning at the end of February. “The suspect DRL was detained at 21:50 WIB at the Polda Metro Jaya Detention Centre,” said Public Relations Head Budi Hermanto, in a statement on Friday (6 Mar 2026). On Friday, Richard Lee was questioned for four hours from 13:00 to 17:00. 29 questions were asked. Before detention, health checks were conducted by Biddokes Polda Metro Jaya including blood pressure, oxygen saturation, and body temperature with normal results, and he could continue to carry out activities as usual.

Richard Lee had already undergone his initial examination as a suspect on Wednesday (7 Jan). He was also questioned on Thursday (19 Feb) from 10:40 to 19:00 WIB.

Richard Lee Fails to Attend Interrogation but Live on TikTok. Polda Metro Jaya revealed two reasons for detaining Richard Lee. One is that Richard Lee is deemed to have obstructed the investigation. “Based on consideration of the suspect DRL’s actions believed to have hindered the investigation, among others: the suspect did not attend additional examination on 3 March 2026 without giving a clear explanation. Instead on that day the suspect was known to have conducted a live on a TikTok account,” said Budi Hermanto.

Richard Lee Fails to Attend Wajib Lapor. Another reason police detained Richard Lee because he had previously failed to report on 23 February 2026 and 5 March 2026 without clear reasons. On that basis, the suspect DRL was detained at 21:50 at the Rutan Polda Metro Jaya, he added.

Reason Richard Lee Chooses Live TikTok. Dr Richard Lee failed to appear for interrogation as a suspect at Polda Metro Jaya and instead chose to perform a live TikTok. He stated that he was doing a live TikTok on his own account to promote products for CV Athena as part of his job, according to Budi Hermanto.

Police: Richard Lee Does Not Reflect Law-Abiding Citizen. Richard Lee was detained on Friday (6/3). Police say his act of skipping examinations does not reflect a citizen who obeys the law. “In short, he does not reflect a citizen who is compliant and respects the law,” Budi Hermanto said.

In the midst of summons during investigations as a suspect, Richard Lee chose not to attend and instead conducted a TikTok live. The cosmetic doctor who had clashed with Doktif conducted a TikTok live to promote his products.