Indonesian authorities bust Rp530 billion illegal gambling operation
The Indonesian National Police’s Criminal Investigation Department has revealed that two individuals have been arrested for their part in an online-gambling-related money laundering operation.
The suspects, referred to as OWH and H, had been laundering money through cryptocurrency and Indonesia’s QR payment system, QRIS.
The Commissioner General of Indonesia’s Criminal Investigation Unit, Wahyu Widada, said that the two suspects had received the funds from illegal gambling operations, which were later funneled into thousands of accounts.
According to police, the individuals used a shell company named PT A2Z Solusindo Teknologi, along with its subsidiaries, to move the money across various bank accounts, which were collected via online cash deposits and withdrawals.
The money was then passed on to online gambling operators, with Widada stressing that the system the perpetrators had used was designed to “make it harder to trace.”
Rp530 billion (US$31.7 million)1 IDR = 0.0001 USD
2025-05-12Powered by CMG CurrenShift of assets were seized during the investigation. This included Rp250 billion (US$15.0 million)1 IDR = 0.0001 USD
2025-05-12Powered by CMG CurrenShift coming from 4,656 bank accounts across 22 banks, Rp276 million (US$16,500)1 IDR = 0.0001 USD
2025-05-12Powered by CMG CurrenShift in government securities, four luxury cars, and 197 accounts from eight different banks.
Suspects OWH and H have reportedly been involved in illegal gambling since 2007 and have been money laundering since 2019. They face up to 20 years in prison and could be fined up to Rp5 billion (US$299,000)1 IDR = 0.0001 USD
2025-05-12Powered by CMG CurrenShift.
Earlier this year, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto mooted a plan to toughen up on illegal gambling via government regulation on online gambling platforms. All forms of gambling are currently banned in the country.
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Charlotte Capewell brings her passion for storytelling and expertise in writing, researching, and the gambling industry to every article she writes. Her specialties include the US gambling industry, regulator legislation, igaming, and more.
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