The Indonesian governor got himself in trouble after spending a whopping $39 million on online casinos between 2017-2022. In a country where gambling is illegal, Authorities are particularly interested in how Lukas Enembe, The governor of the Indonesian province of Papua, might have wagered $39 million through online casinos since 2017.
Online casinos have taken over the world. Online casinos are available in practically every nation and location. Even in places where it is prohibited, the casinos have expanded their operations. For instance, gambling of any kind is not permitted in Indonesia. As they say, where there’s a will, there’s a way, and the governor has proved the saying correct, but not in an ideal manner.
In Indonesia, gambling of any form is strictly prohibited. The government logically demands its leaders to uphold the law and set an example for others to follow. Enembe, the governor of the Democratic Party who has controlled Papua since 2013, appears to be an exception to that rule.
According to the Jakarta Globe, he is the subject of an investigation due to a significant online gambling habit. Papua’s finances were examined, including a look at Enembe’s personal spending, by Indonesia’s Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK). It was determined that he had sent SG$55 million (US$39 million) to several online gaming platforms during the previous five years.
The 55-year-old Enembe once sent $5 million (US$3.55 million) to an unknown casino. According to the probe, it is said that he also spent SG$55,000 (US$39,000) on a wristwatch, indicating that he enjoys a lavish lifestyle.
The PPATK was asked to examine Enembe’s costs by Indonesia’s Corruption Eradication Commission, which works to stop corruption in the government. The request was made in response to two “foreign country” reports detailing the governor’s proclivity for gambling in two distinct nations.
It’s logical to conclude that one of the two was Singapore, even though the news didn’t specifically name them. There are no legal restrictions on online gambling either, though perhaps not for too long. The investigation includes Enembe as well as his family. According to reports, the PPATK halted transactions involving at least one of his children, 11 banks, and insurance firms totaling over US$4.74 million. Authorities think the governor is responsible for the transactions.
Part of a bigger campaign against the governor, the probe is underway. He was already the subject of a corruption investigation. But he disputes the accusations and stands his ground. Last Monday, Enembe was scheduled to give a deposition at the Jayapura headquarters of the Papua Police. He failed to show there and afterward claimed that his health prevented him from doing so.
The accusations come from the PPATK’s examination of 12 different transactions. According to Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Mahfud MD, the amount of corruption might be in the “hundreds of billions of rupiah,” which is why the agency has frozen or barred Enembe’s accounts. $13.35 million is equal to 200 billion IDR.
He continued by saying that there are also apparently other instances of corruption connected to the case. These purportedly include potential money laundering and dubious practices involving the usage of the leadership’s operational revenues. Despite the nature of the accusations, the province is behind Enembe. Locals assembled in front of his private property to condemn the attack when the charges first appeared a week ago.
They staged another demonstration on Monday. They reaffirmed their claim that the accusations are false and are only an idiotic attempt to remove their governor. Additionally, the type of those protests will be questioned. Enembe was accused of fabricating student protests to hide a corruption investigation last year.