The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) announced on Friday that another female actress might be involved in the money-laundering case against Banten'€™s most powerful businessman, Tubagus Chaeri '€œWawan'€ Wardana.

The antigraft body said it had summoned model Catherine Wilson in connection with its investigation into the brother of Banten Governor Ratu Atut Chosiyah, who has been accused of abusing her political power to build a political and business dynasty in the province.

Catherine is the latest celebrity to be linked to Wawan'€™s case. Previously, it was reported that Wawan might have channeled cash and luxury cars to three female celebrities, namely Jennifer Dunn, Syahrini and Aura Kasih.

Catherine should have been questioned along with Jennifer on Friday, but she failed to show up. The KPK said it might have sent the summons to the wrong address.

KPK spokesman Johan Budi said that Catherine would be summoned again next month.

Jennifer came to the KPK headquarters with her lawyer, Hotman Paris Hutapea. She was grilled for about six hours. The actress was summonsed after the KPK confiscated a Toyota Vellfire from her home on Jl. Bangka, South Jakarta, on Wednesday afternoon.

Hotman said that Jennifer, who was introduced to Wawan in June last year, had admitted to receiving the car from Wawan.

'€œJennifer received the car in September last year. She has been cooperative with the investigators and she is ready to face examination on whether the car is part of Wawan'€™s money-laundering activities,'€ Hotman said to journalists after the questioning was over.

Jennifer denied having an affair with Wawan, saying they were only friends and that she received the car from a dealer as a gift from Wawan after she joined his production house, which manages female models and soap-opera actresses.

Jennifer'€™s neighbors reported that they frequently saw Wawan, who is the husband of South Tangerang Mayor Airin Rachmi Diany, visiting her home in the middle of the night, before he was arrested by the KPK in October for allegedly bribing former Constitutional Court chief justice Akil Mochtar.

The Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) has confirmed speculation that illicit money may have passed from Wawan to a number of actresses.

'€œI can'€™t recall their names because there are a lot of suspicious transactions in our report. Bear in mind, actresses usually use stage names,'€ PPATK deputy chief Agus Santoso said.

It has been rumored that upon discovering Wawan had wired money to the actresses his furious wife immediately demanded a divorce.

Aura and Syahrini have not been summoned by the KPK, but both women have denied knowing Wawan.

Wawan, who was relatively unknown before his arrest, was also alleged to have given luxury cars to members of the Banten Legislative Council (DPRD), which has been accused of turning a blind eye to the rampant corruption in the province, among others.

Johan said KPK officials confiscated four cars on Thursday night from the residences of DPRD members, three cars from the office of PT Bali Pasifik Pratama (BPP) and one car from the residence of Herdian Koosnadi, a legislative candidate for the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) in South Tangerang.

PT BPP is a company owned by Wawan, who also acts as one of its commissioners. The company won medical-equipment procurement contracts in Banten in 2011, procurements that led to the arrest of his sister Atut on extortion and corruption charges. (gda)

Popular

GoTo opens up on receiving, reviewing multiple takeover offers

Decline in Indonesia’s press freedom alarming

Popes have been European for centuries, is it time for one from Africa or Asia?