Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — Indonesia’s Cyber Crime Directorate (Dittipidsiber) has arrested a 25-year-old suspect, identified as JS, in connection with a deepfake scam that used manipulated videos of President Prabowo Subianto and other officials to defraud victims.
The head of Dittipidsiber, Brigadier General Himawan Bayu Aji reveal the arrest during a press conference at police headquarters on February 7. JS was apprehended at his residence in Pringsewu Regency, Lampung Province, on February 4, 2025.
“The suspect was arrested after being found guilty of uploading and distributing deepfake videos falsely featuring President Prabowo Subianto and Finance Minister Sri Mulyani on social media,” Himawan said, as reported by Tempo.
According to Himawan, JS spread the manipulated videos via his Instagram account, @indoberbagi2025, which had approximately 9,399 followers. The videos falsely claimed to offer government financial assistance, luring victims into registering for supposed benefits.
Deepfake Scam Scheme
JS reportedly downloaded these deepfake videos from other social media accounts, using search terms like “Prabowo Giveaway” to find content. He then included a phone number linked to WhatsApp as a contact method for victims. Once they reached out, JS would demand payments under the guise of administrative fees.
Authorities estimate that JS scammed around 100 victims across 20 provinces, with the highest number of victims coming from East Java, Central Java, and Papua. By December 2024, JS had allegedly accumulated approximately Rp65 million (around $4,100) from the scheme.
Himawan noted that JS’s tactics closely resembled those of AMA, a 29-year-old suspect arrested on January 16, 2025, though investigators are still determining whether the two operated within the same network.
Legal Consequences
He explained that the Central Digital Forensics Laboratory of the National Police’s Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim) conducted extensive analyses to scientifically confirm the deepfake crimes committed by AMA and JS.
“Using forensic video software with a deepfake face detection method, our analysis found that the manipulated faces in the video were nearly 100 percent fake,” Himawan stated.
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Police have taken JS into custody and confiscated several pieces of evidence, including four mobile phones, an ATM card, and an identification card under his name.
JS faces charges under Indonesia’s Information and Electronic Transactions Law (ITE Law), specifically Article 51(1) in conjunction with Article 35, as well as Article 378 of the Criminal Code on fraud. If convicted, he could face up to 12 years in prison and fines of up to IDR 12 billion (approximately $790,000).
(Raidi/Agung)
