Malaysian investor’s fraud complaint prompts gold-mine probe in North Sulawesi

Jakarta — — A Malaysian national has reported senior police officer Sr. Comr. Fahrurozi to the National Police’s Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim) over an alleged fraud and embezzlement dispute involving a gold-mining investment in North Sulawesi, according to his lawyer and media reports.

The complainant, identified as S bin AS, filed the police report on Aug. 20, 2026, registered under number LP/B/379/VIII/2026/SPKT/BARESKRIM POLRI, his legal counsel Bagas Pangestu Pribadi said at a press conference at Bareskrim on Sept. 15.

Bagas told reporters the case concerns alleged fraud and embezzlement linked to an investment in a gold mine, which S entered after being introduced to Fahrurozi through a third party at the Bareskrim office in May 2025. He said his team has received an SP2HP, an official investigation-progress notice, stating that the allegations are being probed under articles on fraud and embezzlement in Indonesia’s new Criminal Code.

Investigation examines witnesses and mine sites

According to Bagas, investigators have questioned 15 witnesses in connection with the complaint as of Sept. 14, 2026. He said police have also inspected two gold-mining locations in North Sulawesi as part of their checks on the investment scheme.

Media reports describe the inspected sites as gold-mining areas in Southeast Minahasa and Bolaang Mongondow regencies in North Sulawesi. Specific villages mentioned include Ratatotok Satu and Ratatotok Dua in Ratatotok district, Southeast Minahasa, and South Tanoyan in Lolayan district, Bolaang Mongondow.

The SP2HP received by S’s legal team records these investigative steps but does not state that any suspect has been formally named or that the case has moved beyond the investigation stage. It also does not detail whether the inspections produced evidence, whether any assets were seized or whether prosecutors have begun to examine the file.

Competing narratives over the investment

The Jakarta Post reports that S alleges he was offered a gold-mine investment by Fahrurozi via a third party, with assurances that the required permits would soon be issued. S later complained that he did not receive the returns he expected and accused the officer of fraud and deception.

Several Indonesian outlets report that the investment dispute involves funds totaling around Rp58.5 billion, though this figure is attributed to S’s side and has not been confirmed by investigators in public statements. The available reports do not disclose the agreed profit-sharing structure, the full list of parties involved or the current licensing status of the mining operations.

Fahrurozi has denied the allegations. According to coverage of his response, he says he was not an investor in the project and maintains he did not commit fraud or embezzlement. He has announced plans to file a counter-report for alleged defamation and false reporting against the complainant. That counter-complaint was registered in mid-September 2026 at Bareskrim, citing provisions in Indonesia’s Criminal Code and Electronic Information and Transactions Law.

Legal status and next steps

Indonesian media say the original police report against Fahrurozi is currently at the investigation stage at Bareskrim’s Directorate of General Crimes (Dittipidum). An SP2HP notice confirms that investigators have begun gathering witness testimony and conducting site inspections but does not indicate that a case file has been submitted to prosecutors.

As of mid-September 2026, there is no public information from police or courts indicating that criminal charges have been formally filed against either party. The dispute therefore remains an ongoing investigation, with the allegations contested by the officer and the facts yet to be tested in court.

Sources

• The Jakarta Post
• CNN Indonesia
• Tempo.co (Indonesian-language legal/national news)
• IDN Times
• Liputan6
• JawaPos