Indonesia arrests man wanted for alleged $14.1-B China fraud

JAKARTA, Indonesia - Indonesian authorities said on Thursday they had detained a man wanted in China over allegations he helped defraud tens of thousands of people out of about $14 billion.

The man, who had been wanted by China since 2020, was detained on the resort island of Bali on October 1 before he could board a flight for Singapore, Indonesian immigration director general Silmy Karim told a news conference.

The 39-year-old man was identified as LQ and an alias given as JL.

Indonesian authorities had received an Interpol red notice in late September after the man arrived from Singapore, Silmy said.

He said the man had entered Indonesia using a Turkish passport but was arrested after authorities identified him by using a facial recognition system deployed at Indonesia’s immigration gates, Silmy said.

Silmy said the man was wanted in China over an alleged Ponzi scheme in 2020 that defrauded about 100 billion Chinese yuan ($14.1 billion)from around 50,000 victims.

The man was placed in police custody on Thursday Indonesian authorities would contact their Turkish and Chinese counterparts to confirm his identity before deciding whether to extradite him.

"We must validate his status," said Krishna Murti, the head of the international relations division of the Indonesian police.

Indonesian authorities have moved to detain and deport several other people wanted by other countries in recent months.

Alice Guo, a fugitive former mayor wanted on charges of graft, money laundering and human trafficking, was returned to the Philippines in September after she was arrested in Indonesia.

Indonesia also deported 37-year-old Chaowalit Thongduang, one of Thailand's most wanted fugitives, in June after he escaped Thai custody last year. — Agence France-Presse