TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Public prosecutors have indicted Zulkarnaen Apriliantony, Adhi Kismanto, Alwin Jabarti Kiemas, and Muhrijan alias Agus in a bribery case connected to the unblocking of online gambling sites by the then Ministry of Communication and Information or Kominfo (now the Ministry of Communication and Digital or Komdigi).
"The initial trial was held in room 05 on Wednesday, May 14, 2025," as published in the Information System of the South Jakarta District Court on Friday, May 16, 2025.
Prosecutors allege that the four individuals, alongside Denden Imadudin Soleh, Fakhri Dzulfikar, Muhammad Abindra Putra Tayip, Syamsul Arifim, Muchlis Nasution, Deny Maryono, Budianto Salim, Bennihardi, Ferry Wiliam alias Acai, Bernard alias Otoy, and Helmi Fernando, intentionally and unlawfully distributed, transmitted, and/or facilitated access to electronic information and/or documents containing gambling content. They are suspected of collectively receiving a bribe of Rp15.3 billion in exchange for unblocking several online gambling sites that Kominfo should have blocked.
The indictment letter with register number PDM-32/JKTSL/Eku.2/02/2025 reportedly reveals the role of the then Kominfo Minister Budi Arie Setiadi. Around October 2023, Zulkarnaen Apriliantony was allegedly asked by Budi Arie to find individuals capable of gathering data on online gambling sites. Apriliantony subsequently introduced Budi Arie to Adhi Kismanto.
During that meeting, Adhi presented a data crawling tool capable of identifying online gambling sites. Budi Arie then offered Adhi an opportunity to participate in the selection process as an expert at the Ministry of Communication and Information.
Despite being initially declared unfit for the position due to the lack of a bachelor's degree during the selection process, Adhi Kismanto was allegedly accepted to work at Kominfo due to "attention" from Budi Arie. Adhi was then tasked with identifying links to online gambling sites, which were then reported to the Head of the Take Down Team, Riko Rasota Rahmada, for blocking.
In January 2024, many online gambling sites coordinated by Alwin Jabarti Kiemas with Denden were blocked. Denden informed Kiemas that a Kominfo team, specifically Adhi Kismanto, was conducting independent patrols. In response, Alwin Jabarti reportedly refused to provide protection money but instead offered "coordination money" of Rp280 million to Denden.
Around early 2024, Muhrijan alias Agus, who claimed to be a representative of a Kominfo director, allegedly learned about the practice of protecting online gambling sites from being blocked through his brother, Muchlis Nasution, who coordinated by phone with Denden. Muhrijan then met with Denden, stating his awareness of the gambling site protection scheme and threatening to report it to the Minister of Communication and Information. Muhrijan demanded Rp1.5 billion.
Around March 2024, Muhrijan again contacted Denden, requesting an introduction to Adhi Kismanto. During a meeting at Pergrams cafe in the Senopati area, South Jakarta, Muhrijan allegedly conveyed to Adhi the need to continue protecting online gambling sites, claiming there were individuals within Kominfo who desired it. He reportedly offered a 20% commission to Adhi. Muhrijan also allegedly provided a share of Rp3 million per guarded online gambling site to Apriliantony.
Muhrijan and Apriliantony reportedly met again at Pergrams cafe to discuss the protection of online gambling sites at Kominfo and a rate of Rp8 million per site. They also allegedly discussed a distribution scheme for all unblocked gambling sites: Adhi Kismanto at 20%, Apriliantony at 30%, and Budi Arie Setiadi at 50%.
Tempo contacted Budi Arie to confirm the indictment's details and the alleged 50% allocation for him from protecting online gambling sites. Budi Arie responded solely with two smile emojis.
Subsequently, Budi Arie sent a 46-second video depicting him making a hand gesture signifying love, with an image of a bull below it. The video's narration asserted that Budi Arie never solicited money from online gambling businesses, nor did he ever instruct anyone, verbally or in writing, to protect gambling operations. The video also claimed that none of Budi Arie's staff or members of Projo, an organization he founded, were involved in the gambling case, and there was no flow of funds from online gambling businesses to him.
According to the video, Budi Arie suggested a "malicious framing" by "gambling partners." It further claimed that whenever online gambling cases are cracked down upon, "party cadre partners of online gambling" are always involved, and that the chairmen and elites of these "online gambling partner parties" never campaigned against online gambling.
The Head of the Intelligence Section of the South Jakarta District Attorney's Office, Reza Prasetyo Handono, confirmed that prosecutors had read the indictment of Zulkarnaen Apriliantony at the South Jakarta District Court. "Yes, the indictment hearing was held on May 14," Reza stated via phone.
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