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🇮🇩 Indonesia /Crime & Justice

Police Investigate Jambi Bank Hacking Syndicate and Other Regional Banks

From Tempo · () Indonesian

Translated from Indonesian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Under investigation
  • Indonesian police are investigating a bank account hacking syndicate suspected of defrauding Bank Jambi of Rp 144.82 billion.
  • Three local suspects have been arrested as facilitators, allegedly controlled by a Bulgarian national who is the main perpetrator.
  • The syndicate used cryptocurrency to convert and transfer stolen funds abroad, with authorities freezing some assets and pursuing the foreign suspect.

Indonesian police are investigating a sophisticated syndicate suspected of hacking into Bank Jambi's systems and stealing approximately Rp 144.82 billion (about $9.6 million USD). The investigation aims to determine if this operation is linked to previous similar incidents at other regional development banks (BPDs).

The investigators are still analyzing the modus operandi of the perpetrators to confirm the network's connections. Investigators are also studying the technology infrastructure used by the suspects.

— Erlan MunajiHead of Public Relations for the Jambi Regional Police, explaining the ongoing investigation into the hacking syndicate.

Authorities have arrested three local individuals identified as DD, TAS, and AA. These suspects allegedly acted as facilitators, setting up dozens of accounts to receive illicit funds and cryptocurrency wallets to launder the stolen money. Police believe these local operatives were directed by a Bulgarian national, who is considered the main perpetrator and is currently at large.

Besides that, the correlation of digital artifacts found is being assessed to determine whether the event is part of the same network or group of perpetrators.

— Erlan MunajiHead of Public Relations for the Jambi Regional Police, detailing the methods used to link the crime.

The syndicate reportedly began its preparations in 2025, with the arrested suspects recruiting individuals to open numerous domestic bank accounts and crypto exchange accounts. These accounts were then handed over to the main foreign suspect. The actual hacking and fund diversion occurred on February 22, 2026, draining funds from 6,609 Bank Jambi customers.

From the investigation results, these local suspects were controlled by the main perpetrator who is a foreign national from Bulgaria.

— Erlan MunajiHead of Public Relations for the Jambi Regional Police, identifying the alleged mastermind.

Within hours, the stolen funds were converted into cryptocurrency and transferred to overseas digital wallets. Through digital forensics and cooperation with crypto service providers, investigators have managed to freeze assets worth Rp 18.94 billion. Police are actively pursuing the Bulgarian suspect, who is believed to have fled the country. The arrested suspects face charges under Indonesia's electronic information and transaction laws, data protection laws, and the criminal code, with potential prison sentences of up to nine years.

The funds amounting to Rp 144.82 billion were immediately converted into cryptocurrency and transferred to overseas digital wallets within hours.

— TaufikA source describing the speed and method of the fund transfer after the heist.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Tempo in Indonesian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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