Former member of the Regional Representative Council, Rahmat Shah, became a victim of phone scammers operating from Tanjung Gusta Prison in Medan.

Four suspects have been secured by the Cyber Directorate team of North Sumatra Regional Police, consisting of two inmates and two women. The suspects successfully siphoned 254 million rupiah from the Chairman of the North Sumatra Red Cross.

“We need to explain that this is essentially a scam crime involving data manipulation,” stated the Cyber Directorate Chief of North Sumatra Regional Police during the case briefing.

The four suspects are: Muhammad Syarifudin Lubis (25), resident of Bajakuning, Langkat Regency (drug inmate at Class I Tanjung Gusta Prison Medan); Rizal (34), resident of Sei Belutu Street, Gang Amal, Medan City (drug inmate at Class I Medan Prison); and two women named Indri Permadani (20), resident of Dusun 1 Pasar Lebar, Langkat Regency and Tika Handayani (30), resident of Taut Street, Gang Tukang, Medan Tembung District, Medan City.

The crime experienced by the member of the People’s Consultative Assembly for the 1999-2004 period began on August 19.

At that time, the victim received a WhatsApp message from suspect Syarifuddin Lubis, who pretended to be Raline Rahmat Shah (the victim’s biological daughter) asking to send 24 million rupiah to a BNI Bank account under the name Muhammad Syarifuddin Lubis to buy gold.

“Then the suspect requested to send 42 million rupiah. After that, the suspect asked again to send 88 million rupiah and 100 million rupiah. From this incident, the victim suffered losses of 254 million rupiah,” explained the police official.

After the money was sent to the reported account, the reporter then sent the transfer proof to Raline Rahmat Shah. However, Raline Rahmat Shah claimed she never asked for money from the victim.

The incident was then reported to North Sumatra Regional Police until suspect M Syarifuddin Lubis was arrested. During the investigation, suspect Indri Permadani was arrested on Rakyat Street, Medan Tembung District.

Subsequently, suspect Tika Handayani was arrested in Medan Tembung and Rizal was secured in Tanjung Gusta Prison Medan.

“Suspect Rizal played the role of providing a mobile phone to Muhammad Syarifudin Lubis,” revealed the official.

The money from the crime was sent by suspect M Syarifuddin Lubis to Indri Permadani, then forwarded to Wulandari.

Evidence seized includes 4 mobile phone units, 3 ID cards, 4 ATM cards, and 5 bank statements.

Regional Representative Council

The Regional Representative Council (Dewan Perwakilan Daerah or DPD) is one of two parliamentary chambers in Indonesia, established as part of the country’s political reforms in 2004. Its members are elected from the provinces to represent regional interests at the national level. The council primarily focuses on bills related to regional autonomy, but it holds limited legislative power compared to the other house, the People’s Representative Council (DPR).

Tanjung Gusta Prison

Tanjung Gusta Prison is a correctional facility located in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia. It was originally constructed during the Dutch colonial era and has been in operation for many decades. The prison gained international notoriety following a major fire in 2013 that resulted in numerous fatalities among the inmates.

North Sumatra Regional Police

The North Sumatra Regional Police (Polda Sumut) is a provincial-level police force in Indonesia responsible for law enforcement in North Sumatra. It was established as part of the Indonesian National Police to maintain security and order in the region, operating under the national police structure that was formally separated from the military in 1999. Its history reflects the broader development of Indonesia’s centralized police system and its role in one of the country’s key provinces.

North Sumatra Red Cross

The North Sumatra Red Cross is a provincial branch of the Indonesian Red Cross Society (Palang Merah Indonesia or PMI), a humanitarian organization dedicated to disaster response, blood donor services, and community health programs. It was established as part of the national society, which itself has roots in the Dutch colonial era and was officially founded in the Republic of Indonesia on September 17, 1945. The chapter plays a vital role in providing emergency aid and supporting public welfare across the North Sumatra region.

People’s Consultative Assembly

The People’s Consultative Assembly (Majelis Permusyawaratan Rakyat or MPR) is the upper house of Indonesia’s legislative branch. It was established as the nation’s highest governing body following independence in 1945 and was central to the “New Order” government. Following reforms in 2004, its powers were reduced, and it now primarily has the authority to amend the constitution and inaugurate the president and vice president.

BNI Bank

BNI (Bank Negara Indonesia) is one of Indonesia’s oldest and largest state-owned banks, originally established in 1946. It was founded by the government to support the economic independence of the newly formed Republic of Indonesia following its declaration of independence. Today, BNI provides a wide range of financial services and plays a major role in the country’s banking sector.

Bajakuning

I am unable to find any significant historical or cultural site named “Bajakuning.” It is possible this name refers to a small, local place or has a different spelling. For an accurate summary, please verify the correct name or provide more context.

Langkat Regency

Langkat Regency is a region on the east coast of North Sumatra, Indonesia, historically significant as the seat of the Langkat Sultanate. The area’s wealth was historically derived from oil and plantations, and it is home to the impressive Azizi Mosque, a landmark built by the Sultanate in 1902. Today, the regency is also a gateway for visitors traveling to the natural attractions of Gunung Leuser National Park.