JAKARTA: Interpol has issued a red notice for the arrest of one of Indonesia’s top oil tycoons, Mohammad Riza Chalid, over a $285 million corruption scandal, authorities said late Sunday.
Interpol resmi menerbitkan red notice terhadap Mohammad Riza Chalid (MRC), tersangka kasus dugaan korupsi tata kelola minyak mentah. Polri memastikan buron kakap itu hanya mengantongi satu paspor.
Red notice terbit sejak 23 Januari 2026. Dengan status itu, kata Untung, ruang… pic.twitter.com/qINo8tIy9Q
— inilahcom (@inilahdotcom) February 2, 2026
Riza, 66, widely known as the “gasoline godfather,” is wanted for his alleged role in corruption at the state-owned oil company Pertamina between 2018 and 2023. Charges include money laundering and manipulating a lease agreement.
Read More: Interpol red notice: global arrest system at risk of abuse
Untung Widyatmoko, secretary of Interpol’s Indonesia National Central Bureau, confirmed the red notice was issued on January 23. “We can’t specify exactly where he is, but we already know,” he said. The notice has been circulated to Interpol’s 196 member countries, seeking law enforcement assistance to locate and provisionally arrest Riza.
The scandal first surfaced in July when Riza, his son Muhammad Kerry Adrianto Riza, and several high-ranking Pertamina officials were named in the case. Investigators allege the group conspired to import crude oil from foreign suppliers at inflated prices rather than source it domestically, in violation of Indonesian law.
Indonesia revoked Riza’s passport in October, according to immigration authorities. The country has long struggled with corruption, frequently targeting public officials and business leaders in high-profile graft cases.
In 2023, a former communications minister received a 15-year prison sentence for a corruption case that cost Indonesia more than $530 million, highlighting ongoing efforts to hold powerful figures accountable.
Read More: FIA, Interpol bring back proclaimed offender
The red notice underscores Jakarta’s intent to pursue Riza internationally, sending a strong message on tackling graft in the energy sector and reinforcing global law enforcement cooperation.