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span class="inline inline-left">Smart suspect: Malinda Dee (second left), who allegedly embezzled Rp 90 billion from Citibank customers, leaves an interrogation room at National Police headquarters in Jakarta on Monday. JP/Wendra AjistyatamaAmid reports that it was high-ranking police officers who raised a red flag on the dubious transactions conducted by senior Citibank manager Malinda Dee, police prepared on Monday to take her to a re-enactment of her case.

Malinda was to be picked up from the National Police Headquarters’ criminal division detention center at noon Monday to be taken to the Citibank central office in the Landmark Tower in Central Jakarta, where she allegedly conducted most of her crimes. However, the police had to postpone the re-enactment after Malinda apparently fell ill.

In her first public appearance after being named a suspect in the case, Malinda said that the media had not portrayed her fairly.

“I’ve told my lawyers that I want the news media to have balanced reporting [on me]. I ask the media to help me, please,” Malinda said.

Soon after her case was made public by the police last week, the media zeroed in on her lavish lifestyle and the details of her high society life.

While some have focused on her luxurious apartment and collection of expensive SUVs, others have published reports on her cosmetic surgery and her private life, including details on her young actor boyfriend, who has mistakenly been referred to as her husband.

One of Malinda’s lawyers said Monday that his client was not married to the actor Andhika Gumilang.

Malinda is separated from her husband, Agus Ali, who owns a car dealership. She has three children with Agus.

Tempo weekly has been scathing in its investigative reporting on the case.

In the cover story of the magazine’s latest edition, which hit newsstands Monday, Tempo reported that police began investigating the case after a high-ranking police officer complained to Citibank executives in mid-January about suspicious transactions related to his account.

The officer said somebody had accessed his Citigold account and stolen money.

Tempo also reported that senior police officers had lost billions from their accounts.

It was reported that after an internal investigation, Citibank management discovered that Malinda had stolen approximately Rp 90 billion (US$10.35 million) from her clients.

Malinda’s modus operandi was that she managed to have all her clients’ transaction documents signed beforehand, allowing her a free hand at making fraudulent transactions.

National Police spokesperson Insp. Gen. Anton Bahrul Alam declined to comment as to whether or not some senior police officers had money stolen by Malinda.

In a related development, the House of Representatives’ banking commission is expected to summon Citibank executives on Tuesday to brief lawmakers on their banking practices.

In another criminal case involving Citibank employees, the family of Irzen Octa, the secretary-general of the National Unity Party (PPB) who was allegedly murdered by debt collectors contracted by the bank, said they would file a civil suit against Citibank.

On Monday, Octa’s family hired famed lawyer O.C. Kaligis to represent them.

Jakarta Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Baharudin Djafar said in order to prevent unethical conduct by debt collectors, debt collecting agencies should be certified by the Law and Human Rights Ministry as well as the Finance Ministry.

“If they are certified it will be easier for the police to monitor them because we can get information about their contact people, addresses and offices,” Baharudin said.

Citibank spokesperson Ditta Amahorseya once again refused to comment for this story.