Indonesia's top anticorruption prosecutor quits after police seize 74 kg of gold and $20 million in cash

The raids and seizures

On July 8 and 9, Indonesian police raided at least 12 locations across Jakarta, South Tangerang and Bogor as part of a sweeping corruption investigation. The searches, conducted jointly by Jakarta and national police, involved interviewing 15 witnesses. At one property in Bogor, a house that Febrie Adriansyah later acknowledged as his private residence, officers found 74 kilograms of gold bars and large sums of cash in multiple currencies. Police spokesman Budi Hermanto told reporters on Friday evening that the total seized cash exceeded 5.8 million US dollars and 17.2 million Singapore dollars, alongside Indonesian rupiah and Saudi riyals, totalling approximately 20 million dollars. Images of the seized gold and cash circulated widely in local media, intensifying public scrutiny.

Denial and resignation

Speaking to reporters on Friday morning, before his resignation, Adriansyah denied any link between the assets and corruption. He insisted he could provide documentation proving the legitimate origin of every item found at his Bogor home. Nevertheless, on Saturday the Attorney General's Office confirmed he had stepped down as junior attorney general for the Special Crimes division. Spokesman Anang Supriatna said the resignation was accepted. The office stated that the move was made "to maintain the integrity, objectivity, and neutrality of law enforcement."

His resignation has been accepted.

Adriansyah, 58, had held the powerful anticorruption post since 2022. He has not been formally charged with any crime, and no arrest warrant has been issued.

A wide-ranging corruption probe

The raids are part of an investigation into alleged corruption at several state-owned enterprises. Authorities are examining cases linked to state insurer PT Asabri, the now-defunct life insurer Jiwasraya, and the procurement of low-quality coal by state electricity company PLN. The police have indicated they are investigating three cases tied to money laundering and bribery involving these entities. Local media reported that the scandal also touches state miner Timah, oil and gas company Pertamina, and flag carrier Garuda Indonesia. Rudi Margono, Adriansyah's successor, identified by the initial "F" and referred to as an official, was named as one of two suspects emerging in the latest phase of the probe.

A controversial tenure

Febrie Adriansyah's time as special crimes prosecutor was marked by several high-stakes cases. Until his resignation, he was overseeing a corruption investigation into the National Nutrition Agency, which runs President Prabowo Subianto's free school meals programme, a scheme that has faced widespread criticism over alleged mismanagement. He also led the corruption case against Nadiem Makarim, the founder of the payment start-up Gojek, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison in June. International observers and rights groups have condemned that verdict as deeply flawed. Adriansyah had previously investigated former trade minister Thomas Lembong and an illegal fuel imports case at Pertamina.

Now he himself is at the centre of a corruption storm, though he maintains his innocence. The investigation is ongoing, and police say they are continuing to question witnesses.