Jakarta. The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is investigating links between fugitive oil magnate Mohammad Riza Chalid and former Pertamina executive Chrisna Damayanto in a graft case related to catalyst procurement at the state oil company between 2012 and 2014.

KPK acting Deputy for Enforcement and Execution Asep Guntur Rahayu said investigators had obtained information suggesting a business connection between the two.

“Based on the information we received, there’s an indication of a business relationship between the company owned by Chrisna Damayanto and entities associated with Mr. MRC,” Asep told reporters at the KPK headquarters in Jakarta on Tuesday.

Damayanto, who served as Pertamina’s processing director from 2012 to 2014, allegedly had business dealings with Riza when he worked for one of Pertamina’s subsidiaries in Singapore that handled oil trading. KPK is now scrutinizing the financial and corporate links between their companies during that period.

The anti-graft agency has so far named four suspects in the case, including Damayanto; his son, Alvin Pradipta Adiyota; and two executives from Melanton Pratama: director Gunardi Wantjik and operations manager Frederick Aldo Gunardi. All but Damayanto have been detained, with the latter citing health reasons.

Riza Chalid himself is already a suspect in a separate corruption and money laundering case handled by the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) involving alleged manipulation of crude oil and refinery product management at Pertamina Patra Niaga.

His son, Muhammad Kerry Adrianto Riza, went on trial Monday in Jakarta’s Corruption Court. Prosecutors accused him of enriching himself by Rp 3.07 trillion ($187 million) and causing state losses amounting to Rp 285.18 trillion between 2018 and 2023. Kerry, listed as the beneficial owner of Navigator Khatulistiwa, allegedly leveraged his father’s reputation to win oil trading deals and obtain financing to acquire a storage facility in Merak.

Riza, once dubbed Indonesia’s “oil broker king,” was declared a fugitive after repeatedly ignoring AGO summonses. Authorities believe he fled to Malaysia in February. Indonesia has since requested Interpol to issue a red notice and revoked his passport.

Prosecutors allege that Riza used his companies, including Tangki Merak and Orbit Terminal Merak, to manipulate crude procurement and lease agreements, bypassing Pertamina’s vetting process. At least 18 individuals have been named suspects in the broader investigation.

The AGO has also confiscated several of Riza’s assets, part of its effort to recover state losses. In August, investigators seized luxury vehicles, foreign currencies, and multiple properties linked to Riza and his family.

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