Uproar Over Alleged Fraud in Elite Area Building Rental in South Jakarta, Here's the Case Update

The dispute over the rental of a building in the Gunawarman area, South Jakarta, has entered a new phase after police named Michael Rusli as a suspect in the alleged fraud and embezzlement of funds worth Rp2 billion.

The case began with PT Jarasta Pasti Pesta’s (Jarasta) plan to rent the building at Jalan Gunawarman No. 16 in March 2025, but it ended with a police report after the transaction was deemed invalid.

Jarasta’s legal representatives stated that their client had made payments in stages to parties claiming authority over the property. The initial meeting took place on 7 March 2025 with Michael Rusli, who introduced himself as the building owner’s representative and offered a rental partnership.

During the process, Jarasta made payments starting from a down payment of Rp100 million, totalling Rp2 billion over the period from 10 to 14 March 2025. The payments were made via a combination of cash and transfers, with the belief that the transaction was legitimate.

However, in subsequent developments, Jarasta discovered that the building in question had already been rented to another party. Additionally, the recipients of the payments were allegedly no longer entitled to the property.

Based on the statements provided, Michael Rusli had previously held rental rights to the building from the legitimate owner, Insan Budi Maulana. However, those rights were said to have expired due to unmet payment obligations, leaving no legal basis for him to re-rent the property.

Jarasta’s collection efforts yielded no results. The legal representatives noted that despite issuing a summons, there was no resolution or refund from the reported party.

The case was reported to Polda Metro Jaya on 10 November 2025 and processed through investigation to prosecution stages. In the latest development, investigators named Michael Rusli as a suspect after determining there was sufficient evidence to meet the elements of the alleged criminal offence.

“This legal step was taken after various persuasive efforts received no expected response,” said Jarasta’s legal representative in a written statement on Tuesday, 21 April 2026.

The impact of this case extends beyond financial losses, also hindering the company’s operational plans. Jarasta has been forced to seek alternative locations for its business activities, adding to costs and time burdens.