Indonesian police seize US$28.1 million in assets in probe involving former deputy attorney general

Indonesian police say they seized 74 kilograms of gold bullion, millions of US and Singapore dollars, and other assets worth an estimated Rp476 billion (US$28.1 million) during searches linked to an investigation involving former Deputy Attorney General for Special Crimes (Jampidsus) Febrie Adriansyah.

The discoveries were made during searches at more than a dozen locations in Jakarta and West Java, including a luxury residence in Sentul, Bogor, which Febrie acknowledged was his private home.

Police named Febrie a suspect on 11 July, accusing him of corruption and money laundering. A second suspect, a private-sector figure Don Ritto, was also charged.

Febrie served as Indonesia's Deputy Attorney General for Special Crimes (Jampidsus), one of the country's most powerful anti-corruption posts, overseeing investigations and prosecutions into major corruption cases involving senior public officials, state-owned enterprises and large corporations.

During his tenure, he led several high-profile investigations, including the ongoing corruption case involving former education minister Nadiem Makarim over the procurement of Chromebook laptops for schools, as well as other major cases involving state-owned enterprises and strategic sectors.

Although the investigations were subsequently transferred from the National Police's Anti-Corruption Crime Corps (Kortas Tipikor) to the Attorney General's Office (AGO), prosecutors have stressed that Febrie's suspect status remains unchanged.

The AGO clarified on 15 July that fresh investigation orders issued after the transfer reaffirmed the suspect designation originally made by police investigators. The office said further legal decisions would be made after prosecutors complete their assessment of the evidence.

Gold, foreign currency and documents seized

According to police, investigators discovered a locked safe containing seven suitcases during a search of the Sentul property.

Authorities said the seizure included 74kg of gold bullion, US$4.77 million, S$14.08 million and Rp100 million in cash. Police estimated the total value of the assets at approximately Rp476 billion.

Additional searches were conducted at several properties in South Jakarta, including Café de'Clan and a neighbouring money changer in Cipete. Investigators seized foreign currency, cash, financial documents, mobile phones, money-counting machines and other evidence.

Police said 15 witnesses and two experts have been questioned as part of the investigation.

Febrie has denied wrongdoing and said all assets seized from the Sentul property can be legally accounted for.

"The Sentul house has indeed been my private residence for a long time. Its ownership history can be traced from the beginning," he told reporters.

Dispute over seized assets

Questions have also emerged over the ownership of the assets seized from the Sentul property.

Don Ritto, the second suspect in the case, has claimed that the cash and 74kg of gold bullion seized by investigators belong to a foundation he manages rather than to Febrie.

His lawyer said the assets were owned by the foundation and not by the former deputy attorney general.

However, Indonesian Police Watch (ISESS) policing analyst Bambang Rukminto said the claim could be interpreted as an attempt to shield Febrie from greater legal consequences.

"The confession could be seen as an effort to take responsibility in order to reduce the legal risks faced by Febrie Adriansyah," Bambang said.

Febrie's lawyer, Hotman Paris Hutapea, also maintained that the Sentul property searched by investigators had no longer been under his client's control since 2022.

Hotman has previously said Febrie could account for the ownership history of the house and denied any wrongdoing.

Investigation centres on three major cases

The corruption and money laundering investigation centres on three separate cases involving state-owned enterprises and Indonesia's energy sector.

The first concerns PT Asabri, the state-owned insurer serving members of the military, police and defence ministry. Police are investigating alleged corruption and money laundering linked to the handling of legal proceedings connected to Asabri and the earlier Jiwasraya insurance scandal between 2020 and 2025. Investigators are examining whether state officials abused their authority during the legal process.

The second involves PT Krakatau Steel. Investigators are probing alleged corruption and money laundering linked to the settlement of debts owed by PT Cakra Bina Sejahtera to PT Krakatau Niaga Indonesia, a subsidiary of the state-owned steel producer. Police suspect irregularities involving public officials during the debt-resolution process.

The third case concerns alleged corruption in the procurement and supply of coal for state electricity company PLN's coal-fired power plants between 2018 and 2026.

According to investigators, several suppliers manipulated both the quality and quantity of coal delivered to power stations. Police allege coal quality certificates were falsified, lower-grade coal was supplied instead of contracted specifications, and delivery volumes were overstated, resulting in payments that did not reflect actual deliveries.

The National Police have identified PT OBP and PT BRA among the companies under investigation. Authorities estimate the alleged scheme caused state and broader economic losses of around Rp5 trillion (approximately US$295 million).

Investigators also believe the alleged irregularities disrupted coal supplies to several PLN power plants, contributing to electricity shortages and rolling blackouts reported in recent weeks. The outages affected parts of Sumatra, Kalimantan, Central Java, East Java and sections of the Greater Jakarta area, disrupting households, businesses, schools and public services.

Officials from Indonesia's Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry have previously acknowledged that coal quality and supply problems affected operations at several power plants. Investigators are examining whether the alleged corruption contributed to the recent disruptions.

Police have accused Febrie of corruption and money laundering offences linked to the handling of legal proceedings involving the Asabri, Krakatau Steel and PLN coal procurement cases. The allegations remain under investigation and no court has ruled on the claims.

Case transferred to prosecutors

The National Police initially named Febrie a suspect before transferring the investigations to the Attorney General's Office, which has jurisdiction to handle the cases.

Confusion emerged after the transfer when an AGO spokesperson appeared to describe Febrie as a witness. The office later corrected the statement, confirming that the suspect designation remains valid while prosecutors continue reviewing the transferred case files.

The AGO has not yet scheduled questioning of Febrie.

Questions over military presence

The investigation has also drawn scrutiny because Indonesian military personnel were present at several locations connected to the searches.

Dozens of soldiers were deployed outside Febrie's South Jakarta residence while police operations were under way. The military said the deployment was carried out under Presidential Regulation No. 66 of 2025, which provides protection for prosecutors.

The presence of military personnel prompted criticism from legal and human rights groups.

The Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) said military involvement in corruption investigations risked turning official protection into a shield for officials under investigation.

SETARA Institute chairman Hendardi said military personnel have no legal authority to obstruct investigations or searches conducted by law enforcement agencies.

Amnesty International Indonesia executive director Usman Hamid said the situation risked undermining the separation between military and civilian law enforcement functions.

Debate over objectivity

The transfer of the investigation to the Attorney General's Office has also prompted debate over whether prosecutors can impartially investigate one of their own former senior officials.

Criminal law expert Abdul Fickar Hadjar said public concerns about objectivity were understandable, although the transfer itself was legally valid because the AGO has jurisdiction over such cases.

He also rejected claims that a suspect must first be questioned before being formally designated as a suspect, saying Indonesia's Criminal Procedure Code does not impose such a requirement.

Political reaction

The case entered the political spotlight after lawyer Hotman Paris Hutapea, who represents Febrie, referred to President Prabowo Subianto while defending his client.

Hotman questioned why police investigators had named Febrie a suspect without first informing the president and highlighted Febrie's role in leading the Forest Area Enforcement Task Force (Satgas PKH), which he said had generated Rp430 trillion (US$25.4 billion) in state revenue and recovered assets.

Gerindra Party officials rejected attempts to link Prabowo to the case.

Senior Gerindra official Bambang Haryadi said the president had consistently supported anti-corruption efforts and had never interfered in law enforcement.

"President Prabowo has never interfered in law enforcement," Bambang said.