Inp.polri.go.id - Jakarta.  The Indonesian National Police (INP) have uncovered a money-laundering scheme involving the creation of fake companies to channel funds from online gambling operations, seizing more than Rp59 billion during a nationwide cybercrime investigation.

“These shell companies were deliberately set up to disguise and move proceeds from online gambling,” Cybercrime Director Brigadier General Himawan Bayu Aji said during a press briefing in Jakarta on Wednesday (7/1/2026), as reported by antaranews.com

The case emerged after cyber patrols detected 21 online gambling websites operating domestically and internationally, prompting undercover transactions to trace payment flows.

Investigators found 17 fictitious companies, 15 of which were used as QRIS payment gateways for player deposits, while two actively stored gambling funds.

Police arrested five suspects with roles ranging from company directors to document forgers, and named one additional suspect on the wanted list.

The suspects allegedly used fake identities and corporate documents to open accounts and register as payment merchants.

(mg/inp/pr/rs)