The Medan District Court has commenced the trial of Jonni, alleged to be the boss of an illegal online gambling ring whose name was indirectly connected, though unverified, to murder convict Ferdy Sambo in social media rumors.
he Medan District Court, in North Sumatra’s provincial capital, on Monday opened the trial of Jonni, alias Apin BK, the alleged boss of an illegal online gambling ring, over charges of gambling and money laundering.
During the first court hearing held in hybrid format on Monday, state prosecutor Frianta Felix Ginting said the defendant had intentionally established places and facilities for illegal online gambling.
He said the defendant has set up a facility in 2017 in a building with around 19 rooms at the Krakatau Multi Centre (KMC) warehouse complex in Medan, North Sumatra, to accommodate the bookies of illegal online gambling operations.
Frianta said in January 2022, Jonni bought four storehouses in the Cemara Asri housing complex in Deli Serdang, on the outskirts of Medan, equipping them with tables, chairs, computers, CCTV cameras and an internet connection to expand his online gambling ring.
“From this online gambling operation, the defendant Apin BK made a profit of around 20 percent from [users’] total losses on the online gambling ring’s servers,” the prosecutor added.
The defendant is being tried under Article 303 of the Criminal Code (KUHP) on gambling and Article 3 of Law No. 8/2010 on the prevention and eradication of money laundering, which carries a combined sentence of up to 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of Rp 10 billion (US$660,000).
Jonnie appeared at the trial via video link from the Medan Class 1 Penitentiary, in compliance with the Medan District Court’s COVID-19 health protocols.
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