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Police to probe three banks in Maria Lumowa fraud case
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Loan fraud suspect Maria Pauline Lumowa (center) arrives at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on July 9 escorted by National Police personnel and the Law and Human Rights Ministry's extradition team. Serbia granted Indonesia's request for the extradition of the fugitive, who had been wanted for 17 years for allegedly stealing billions of rupiah from Bank Negara Indonesia in a 2003 loan fraud operation. (JP/Seto Wardhana)
T
he National Police's Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim) plans to investigate three banks in connection with a loan scam allegedly orchestrated by recently captured fugitive Maria Pauline Lumowa.
Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Awi Setiyono said the move was made to track down the money obtained in the scam. "Investigators will look into three private banks in relation to the money obtained from a fictitious letter of credit," Awi said Tuesday, as reported by kompas.com.
Maria allegedly used a fictitious letter of credit to get US$136 million and 56 million euro in bank loans from Bank Negara Indonesia issued to her company PT Gramarindo Group between 2002 and 2003. The scam was allegedly worth Rp 1.7 trillion.
Read also: Maria’s extradition shows up other fugitive failures
She fled Indonesia just before she was named a suspect by the National Police in 2003, and authorities captured her in July of this year after Serbia granted Indonesia's extradition request.
Awi said the investigators had questioned 14 witnesses and named 16 suspects in the case, including Maria. The other 15 suspects have been found guilty and have served their sentences, Antara reported. (vny)
