Fugitive in $3M Property Fraud Case Arrested During Family Vacation in Bedugul, Bali

On October 9, 2026, a joint team from Indonesia's Attorney General's Office and the Bali High Prosecutor's Office (Kejati Bali) arrested Firman Handoko, a convicted fugitive in a property fraud case, at a restaurant in Bedugul, Tabanan Regency, Bali. He was arrested while on a family vacation with his wife and two children.

According to the head of the Legal Information Section at Kejati Bali, Firman had worked as a property broker and land-plot developer. Victims and investors had reported him for selling problematic land plots, unilaterally splitting land certificates, using bounced checks, and allegedly forging sale deeds. Based on a Supreme Court cassation ruling dated February 27, 2024, Firman was found guilty of fraud under Article 378 of the Criminal Code and sentenced to 2 years and 7 months in prison, but had apparently fled before serving his sentence.

The pursuit began on October 7, with investigators tracking Firman's movements from Yogyakarta to Sidoarjo and Banyuwangi in East Java, before he crossed to Bali via Ketapang Port. The team continued monitoring his location until securing his arrest in Bedugul. Authorities said the operation was conducted peacefully, with no resistance from Firman or his family. He has since been handed over to the Denpasar District Prosecutor's Office to begin serving his sentence.

While this case does not directly involve foreign victims or perpetrators, it underscores the existence of fraudulent practices in Bali's property and land market, including unauthorized certificate splitting and alleged forged documents.