Why is the POLDA Bali not locking up confessed thieves in jail?

It is now 5 months ago that the LEONARDO GELATO ice-cream shop in Seminyak was robbed and looted by 50 men in the morning of 31 May 2023. Within 24-houras, because of excellent policework of the POLDA Bali the 6 trucks with Rp. 10 billion worth of equipment was captured. One day later ROBERT (Chen) was caught at a hotel near the airport. ROBERT (Chen) confessed to the POLDA that he organized the theft. On 6 June 2023 EVIANNE TANTONO, the owner of RIVARENO GELATO JAKARTA confessed that she (and her Malaysian husband Chong Wai Thoong) instructed Robert Chen to steal all the assets from LEONARD GELATO.

Miraculously, 1 day later, and very suspiciously, after a full confession of the crime, ROBERT (Chen) who was in prison in Denpasar was released by the POLDA. Normally, a suspect criminal under circumstances can be released on bail after 60 days. It is highly irregular and irresponsible that a confessed criminal is released immediately. The same goes for EVIANNE TANTONO who publicly confessed to instructing and paying ROBERT (Chen) to organize and execute the robbery.

On 24 August 2023 the DIRESKRIM rounded off their investigation concluding that this is criminal case and the serious crimes took place based on art 362 and/or 363 IPC which have a maximum prison sentence of 9 years since it is organized by more people. What is irregular is that EVIANNE TANTONO and her Malaysian husband, confessed criminals, up to today have not been arrested by the DIRESKRIM in order to be part of the investigation.

The State Prosecutor took over the file (LP/B/275/VI/2023/SPKT/POLDA BALI) and concluded that the DIRESKRIM had failed to interview EVIANNE TANTONO and her Malaysian husband, who are the heads of a Jakarta based organized crime family against who 17 reports of crimes have already been filed with the POLDA Bali. EVIANNE TANTONO and her Malaysian husband CHONG WAI THOONG are walking around free and operating their ice-cream shop in Jakarta called RIVARENO GELATO. The State Attorney ordered DIRESKRIM to interview these confessed criminals and their staff such as other RIVARENO GELATO manager Chianti Darmawanti, who is also suspected of embezzlement, theft and trespassing and damaging property.

Today, 5 months later, after having 3 times called up EVIANNE TANTONO and CHONG WAI THOONG, who live in Jakarta at a residential address that is known to the DIRESKRIM, the POLDA claims they cannot find EVIANNE TANTONO and CHONG WAI THOONG, as an excise to arrest these confessed criminals and principles of ROBERT (CHEN) and lock them up in prison. Why is the DIRESKRIM not going after confessed criminals? Why are thieves no longer put in prison? Can Indonesia no longer reply on its police to protect its people against thieves?

Polda Investigation On Theft By Rivareno Gelato Closed. The Legal Expert Confirms This Is A Criminal Case

DENPASAR, Hosnews.id – Almost 3 months after the crime occurred on 31 May 2023, the Polda Bali Ditreskrim investigators confirmed that the criminal investigation of organized theft of Leonardo Gelato in Seminyak where Rp. 10 billion worth of assets, after violent breaking an entry, were taken by suspect RBT and 50 men with 6 trucks and 1 forklift is now closed.

According to the criminal investigation’s legal expert of Universitas Udayana, the General Manager of Rivareno Gelato Fatmawati, RBT was not authorized to take Leonardo Gelato’s assets. This confirms again this is a criminal case,” Friday 25 Agust 2023.

This also means that suspect RBT, who was strangely released 5 days after the official Polda Bali press release on 5 June 2023, is still a criminal suspect and logically is expected to be arrested soon so he can be prepared for prosecution by the state attorney’s office. Strangely, because according to the law, it can only be considered proper and reasonable that criminal suspects are released on bail after a minimum of 60 days in detention and after a thorough criminal investigation has been conducted.

RBT, as General Manager of Rivareno, celebrated his birthday last 23 August 2023 in grand style in Jakarta, with not only all the RivaReno personnel present but also his Rivareno Adireksa bosses Mac Yim Wan Yip, Chong Wai Thoong and Evianne Tantono at Rivareno Gelato Fatmawati (see picture).

The press contacted Evianne Tantono on 25 August 2023 at 12.16 Wita for a statement regarding the closing of the criminal investigation and her confession on 6 June 2023 to have instructed RBT to take the Leonardo Gelato assets to Jakarta, with the likely motive to open a 2nd Rivareno Gelato ice cream shop in Jakarta. She did not react to the press.

When the press contacted Mac Yim Wan Yip, Chong Wai Thoong and RBT on 25 August 2023 at 12.51 Wita, 12.54 Wita and 12.59 Wita they did not want to make a statement to the press. Also, legal advisor, Andrew Sutedja, was contacted by the press on 25 August 2023 at 13.17 Wita for his reaction but he did not comment either. When confirmed to Andrew Sutedja by whatsapp message, the phone number returned was that of the Medika Clinic in Jakarta, instead of Sutedja & Associates.

Until the time this news was published, Rivareno Gelato Jakarta did not provide any answers.

The owner of Leonardo Gelato, made a statement when he was met by the press at the Polda Headquarters in Denpasar on Friday (25/8/2023) at 15.11 Wita. He said: “I was expecting a confirmation that RBT is still a suspect of violating articles 362 and 363 IPC and I am still expecting that finally after 3 months justice takes its normal course and that not only RBT will be arrested, but also that Evianne Tantono as his admitted principal.”

Syafrudin Budiman, the editor of Prosiar, confirms this in his article on 6 June 2023 that Andrew Sutedja, as legal counsel of Evianne Tantono and RBT, made a statement to him that Rivareno owner Evianne Tantono had tasked her General Manager RBT to “secure” the Leonardo Gelato assets. It does not make sense that the Ditreskrim has not included Evianne Tantono in their criminal investigation. Evianne Tantono and Chong Wai Thoong were only called up twice to give their formal witness statement but never showed up.

Evianne Tantono, Owner of RIVARENO Gelato in Jakarta, Confesses Instructing Robert Chen to Commit Organised Theft

NATIONALXPOS.CO.ID, DENPASAR – 20 August 2023

The case of alleged organised theft of Leonardo Gelato ice cream shop assets on Jalan PetitengEvianne Tantonono. 3, Seminyak, North Kuta, Badung, (31/5) involving the General Manager of RIVARENO Jakarta with the initials RBT and 50 people, was responded to by the owner of Leonardo Gelato, Leonard A. Vereecken.

According to the owner of the Dutch ice cream shop, this organised theft case should have been completed on 6 June 2023 when ET's confession was published by Andrew Sutedja as Evianne Tantono and Robert Chen's attorney.

Several legal experts, Leonard said, have independently proven that Evianne Tantono and Robert Chen had no authority to take the Leonard Gelato's assets. Therefore, this case is a simple case and proven to violate Article 363 of the Criminal Code. This statement was expressed by Leonard, when the media crew confirmed it via WhatsApp message, Friday (18/8/2023) at 09.00 Wita.

Leonard regrets that more than 2 months after the incident, this case has not been properly investigated by the Bali Police.

"This is not the first crime committed by Evianne Tantono against Leonardo Gelato. Since September 2022, I as the owner of Leonardo Gelato have filed a total of 15 lengthy reports of serious crimes to Badung Police and Bali Police against Evianne Tantono who is part of a Malaysian crime family headed by Mac Yim Wan Yip and her husband, Chong Wait Thoong," Leonard explained.

"After the Bali Police press release on 5 June 2023 and Leonard's witness report on 7 July 2023 there has been no official response. Not only are dozens of his ice cream shop employees waiting to go back to work, Leonardo Gelato's stolen assets are being kept by the police for no legal reason," he said.

The Bali Police granted Robert Chen a release after 5 days of detention, without starting the normal investigation process with witness testimonies and evidence collection. According to Leonardo Gelato's attorney Rachman Bakary, it is highly unusual that a perpetrator such as Robert Chen, who has been confessed of committing a serious crime with a maximum sentence of 9 years in prison, received a release from detention.

Robert Chen was released 2 days after his lawyer, Andrew Suteja, went to the Polda Bali. The release is all the more dubious because on 6 June 2023, before Robert Chen was released, Evianne Tantono made a full confession which made it undeniable that he and Robert Chen had committed the crime," said Leonard.

Even more astonishingly, Leonard said, according to sources close to Chong Wai Thoong, Andrew Suteja is allegedly very experienced in providing inducements to Indonesian officials, not only being only Robert Chen's attorney, he is also Evianne Tantono’s attorney for the RIVARENO and ADIREKSA companies. This directly proves that Robert Chen has the same interests as the owners of RIVARENO, namely, Evianne Tantono and Chong Wai Thoong.

"Robert Chen's statement to the Bali Police that he acted alone contradicts the confession of his boss, Evianne Tantono, who confessed a few days later that she ordered the RIVARENO general manager, Robert Chen, to steal Leonardo Gelato's assets. This confirms that without orders and financing from his superiors, it is impossible for Robert Chen to work alone," said Leonard.

Leonard asserts that despite Evianne Tantono's confession and the overwhelming evidence of her and her husband's direct involvement in the organised theft on 31 May 2023, they have not been summoned, let alone be interviewed by the police.

The fact that legal experts have independently proven that neither Evianne Tantono nor Robert Chen were authorised to take Leonard Gelato's assets, contradicts the statement from attorney Andrew Suteja's in online media siarpro.com stating that Evianne Tantono is a director of PT Artisanal Food Group (PT AFG). This is factually untrue as, Leonard said, since he is the 100% owner of this company and his wife is the director since 2020, according to the company register of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights (Kemenkumham) of the Republic of Indonesia, which is Indonesia's leading company register for shareholders, directors and commissioners, and an exclusive source for the police. According to the company administration, PT AFG was permanently closed before the pandemic and since 2020 has no turnover, no personnel, and no assets. In the management structure of PT AFG it is clear that Evianne Tantono is not the director of my company PT AFG, as falsely claimed by Andrew Sutedja.

"Thus, Evianne Tantono is deliberately and unlawfully pretending to act on behalf of my company and making unauthorised decisions. Based on PT AFG's shareholder resolution on 1 January 2020, Evianne Tantono was dismissed as a director for being caught embezzling tens of billions of money in violation of her duty as a director to act in the best interests of the company. The company registry of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights (Kemenkumham) of the Republic of Indonesia confirms this that she is no longer a director of PT AFG," said Leonard.

Leonard further explained that, "The fact is, that Evianne Tantono and Chong Wai Thoong are the owners of Leonardo Gelato's competitor, RIVARENO Gelato from Jakarta. Another fact is that Robert Chen is the General Manager of RIVARENO Jakarta, and not the General Manager of PT AFG which has been closed and inactive for more than 2 years. Therefore, Robert Chen does not have any authority to secure assets on behalf of PT AFG or any other company," he explained. Evianne Tantono's motive is to "secure" assets for “free” for the second RIVARENO Gelato ice cream shop in Jakarta," he said.

Leonard is convinced that Evianne Tantono and Robert Chen's legal counsel, Andrew Suteja, cannot provide evidence to support his statement that Leonardo Gelato's assets belong to PT AFG and are used by Leonardo Gelato unlawfully.  "Sutedja’s statement is legally flawed because in fact", explains Leonard, "I am not only the 100% owner of PT AFG but also the 100% owner of Leonardo Gelato (PT Leonardo Gelato Artigianale), as confirmed in the company register at the Ministry of Law and Human Rights. Therefore, also this statement from Andrew Suteja is factually incorrect. Conclusive evidence of my undisputed ownership has been submitted to the Bali Police on 7 July 2023," Leonard said.

According to the Dutchman, with the conclusive evidence of Leonard's ownership combined with Evianne Tantono's confession on 6 June 2023, this criminal case is simple and complete. Therefore, it is very suspicious that more than 2.5 months after the crime occurred, the main perpetrator of the theft has been released from detention and that Evianne Tantono and Chong Wai Thoong have not been arrested, let alone questioned by the Bali Police.

"Clearly, there are other forces at play behind the suspect. In the normal course of events, Evianne Tantono and Robert Chen, who have confessed to being responsible for the Rp. 10 billion organised heist, should both be detained, securing their presence for a trial in court that will inevitably result in years of punishment," Leonard concluded.

When the media crew confirmed through whatsapp messages to both Robert Chen and Chong Wai Thoong on 1 August 2023 at 12.51 Wita and 12.59 Wita, until the time this news was published, both did not provide any answers. Likewise to Andrew Suteja's legal advisor, when confirmed by whatsapp message, the phone number seen is the medika clinic.

In a separate place, the Director of Criminal Investigation of the Bali Police, Kombes Pol Yanry Paran Simarmata, via telephone via whatsapp, Sunday, (20/8/2023) at 14.30 Wita said that the Bali Police could not provide borrowed assets that became Evidence (BB). "From both parties claiming the asset, both of them provided a letter requesting the borrowing of assets. Therefore, we decided that we could not allow the borrowing of assets to the two parties to the dispute," he said.

According to Leonard, the statement of Kombes Pol Yanry Paran Simarmata is legally incorrect since Sutedja did not and cannot provide any proof of ownership of the PT LGA assets. Leonard on the other hand has provided all the legal proof that he is the undisputed and 100% owner of the assets. This is clearly a criminal case and the Polda is trying to create a civil dispute that does not exist. This confirms Leonard’s strong suspicions that other forces are at play.

Rivareno Gelato Boss allegedly behind Robert Chen suspect

Bali, Indonesia,- Global Dynamics Media,Id ,- The Bali Police arrested and jailed Robert Chen for the looting and grand theft of Leonardo Gelato restaurant on 31 May, causing a loss of approximately IDR 10 billion. Contrary to Robert Chen 's previous statement to the Polda, his lawyer Andrew Sutedja now states that he did not act alone but was instructed by his boss, Malaysian national Chong Wai Thoong, who is the owner of RIVARENO GELATO Jakarta cafe located at Jl. hospital Fatmawati Raya No.45, RT. 5/RW. 3, Cilandak Bar, Kec. Cilandak, South Jakarta City, Special Capital Region of Jakarta 12430. ROBERT CHEN has been the General Manager at RIVARENO GELATO since 2021.

The motive for the looting and grand theft of all Leonardo Gelato assets has been explained to build the 2nd RIVARENO GELATO cafe in Jakarta as the stolen machines are very expensive to import. The 6 trucks were intercepted by Polda on their way to a warehouse in Jakarta. Of the 6 trucks with stolen goods, 4 were already in Java on 1 June when ROBERT CHEN was arrested in a hotel room near Bali airport.

Robert Chen and his RIVARENO boss Chong Wai Thoong have been Bali Police suspects since October last year for other offences of Indonesian criminal law, mainly related to anti-competitive practices, in other words violently stopping competition from business. Robert Chen is Chong Wai Thoong's 3rd employee to go to jail over the past 2 years. However, 2 of his other employees went to jail on drug possession and smuggling charges.

A reliable source mentioned that Leonardo Gelato confirmed that it was Robert Chen and his boss Chong Wai Thoong who instructed thugs from Timor to obstruct their business and intimidate customers and staff and this was reported to the Polres Badung.

14 DAYS INTO LEONARDO GELATO ROBBERY, PERPETRATORS ARRESTED BY BALI POLICE

Bali |nusantarajayanews.id - The theft at Gelateria Leonardo Gelato Bali which was arrested on 1 June 2023 by the Bali Police Resmob Reskrimum Team with suspect Robert Chen, is suspected of opening the same business in the Jakarta area.

The action carried out by these perpetrators, was quite reckless because openly on 31 May 2023 at approximately 06.00 WITA, looted the Gelateria Leonardo Gelato Cafe on Jalan Petitenget No.3 Kerobokan Kelod, North Kuta, Badung Regency, Bali, by carrying the loot using 6 trucks and 1 forklift.

There is a strong suspicion that there was interference with PT Rivareno Monochrome Nusantara behind the action carried out by the Robert Chen perpetrator, even the perpetrator also argued to the police by falsifying the report that he took the goods with the aim of securing the goods belonging to the company where he worked at PT Rivareno Monochrome Nusantara.

"We did this action, on the orders of our superior Chong Wai Thoong who owns the company PT Rivareno Monochrome Nusantara," said the perpetrator Robert Chen, also a General Manager of PT Rivareno Monochrome Nusantara.

Meanwhile, lawyer Andrew Sutedja claimed that the looting and theft of Gelateria Leonardo Gelato assets owned by Leonard Vereecken, a Dutch businessman, was an effort orchestrated by the perpetrator Robert Chen's superior, the owner of PT Rivareno Monochrome Nusantara, a Malaysian business family.

"So the real brain of this case of theft of assets from Gelateria Leonardo Gelato, is the owner of the company PT. Rivareno Monochrome Nusantara, Chong Wai Thoong businessman from Malaysia," explained Andrew Sutedja.

RIVARENO robbery mastermind arrested in Seminyak Bali

Bali, Indonesia, - Media Dinamika Global, Id, - The case of asset theft at the Leonardo Gelato ice cream shop was revealed by cutting the padlock on the shop door and holding the watchmen from calling their boss at the time of the incident, it should be noted that the perpetrators brought about 50 people including Robert Chen, the General Manager of PT RIVARENO MONOCHROME NUSANTARA and the owner of PT RIVARENO MONOCHROME NUSANTARA, Malaysian citizen Chong Wai Thoong who supervised the looting and theft, the persons named as the perpetrator by the Bali Police Ditreskrimum, used 6 trucks to commit theft and drain the goods in the Leonardo Gelato ice cream shop, Jalan Petitenget No.3 Kerobokan Kelod, North Kuta, Badung Regency, Bali. 

The perpetrator Robert Chen acted using 6 units of trucks on Wednesday, 31 May 2023 around 06.00-07.00 WITA and was arrested at a hotel in the Tuban area, Kuta Badung, 1 June 2023. Including, 6 units of trucks containing the stolen goods were successfully secured at the Gilimanuk crossing port. The arrested perpetrator Robert Chen allegedly claimed his motive was to use the stolen goods to open the same business in Jakarta.

There is a strong suspicion that PT RIVARENO MONOCHROME NUSANTARA is behind the action carried out by Robert Chen. To the police, the suspect falsified a report that he took the goods with the aim of securing goods for the company PT RIVARENO MONOCHROME NUSANTARA that employs him as General Manager. 

Lawyer Andrew Sutedja claimed that the looting and theft of assets of Gelateria Leonardo Gelato, owned by Dutch businessman Leonard Vereecken, was an orchestrated effort by Robert Chen's superiors, the owners of PT RIVARENO MONOCHROME NUSANTARA, a Malaysian business family.

These are the most important facts:

1. Robert Chen does not work alone. He is the General Manager of PT RIVARENO MONOCHROME NUSANTARA. In the past he was the GM of PT AFG and left PT AFG's payroll in 2020 during the Pandemic.

2. Dutch businessman Leonard Vereecken is the owner of LEONARDO GELATO gelateria on Jl. Petitenget No.3, Kec. Kuta Utara, Badung Regency, Bali. ROBERT CHEN stole all the assets from LEONARDO GELATO to take to Jakarta to set up a new RIVARENO gelateria in Jakarta.

4. Jakarta-based PT AFG is irrelevant as it was CLOSED at the start of the Pandemic in 2020. No staff, NO assets NO business license, and NO financing. However, Leonard Vereecken is 100% owner of PT AFG (according to the Ministry of Law and Human Rights).

5. Robert Chen's boss, the owner of PT RIVARENO MONOCHROME NUSANTARA, Malaysian national Chong Wai Thoong supervised the looting and theft. Therefore, Chong Wai Thoong should also be considered a suspect.

6. The Dutch companies, Cibus Artis BV and Artisanal Food Group BV, have been bankrupted by Chong Wai Thoong. Both companies no longer exist.

7. Malaysian citizen Chong Wai Thoong is using his wife Evianne Tantone, as a front for himself and criminal acts!

Confession of Evianne Tantono: I tasked Robert Chen with theft

Syndicate Post, Bali - Andrew Sutedja, attorney for Eviane Tantono, denied the theft and looting of Leonardo Gelato Ice Cream Cafe assets by a man with names Robert Chen (31) at Jl. Petitenget Number 3, Kerobokan Kelod Village, North Kuta District, Badung Regency, Bali. His party as the attorney stated that the incident was a step to secure the assets of the PT AFG company by the General Manager.

According to Andrew Sutedja, previously the Bali Police arrested Robert Chen who was allegedly the perpetrator of the theft and looting of the Leonardo Gelato ice cream cafe on Jl. Petitenget Number 3, Kerobokan Kelod Village, North Kuta District, Badung Regency, Bali. He said, the alleged perpetrator Robert Chen, male, private employee with an address in Petamburan, West Jakarta City, DKI Jakarta Province, was tasked with carrying out the security of company assets…

Burglary in Leonardo Gelato, Lost Almost 10 Billion Rupiah

DENPASAR, Radar Bali.id - After going viral on social media, Bali Police revealed the perpetrators of the theft with burglary case at Leonardo Gelato Ice Cream Cafe, Kerobokan, North Kuta yesterday (5/6/2023) at the Bali Police Headquarters. Previously, there was a taking of goods at Leonardo Gelato on Wednesday (31/5/2023) at around 06.00 to 07.00 WITA by 50 people.

PJS. Head of Sub-Directorate 3 Ditreskrimum, Kompol Adi Guna said that the 50 people were daily labourers who were paid IDR 200 thousand per day by the perpetrator Robert Chen (31) who is the GM of the company PT Artisanal Food Group.

The taking of goods was carried out by cutting the locks on the shop doors and restraining the watchmen from calling their bosses during the incident. The perpetrator also carried out the action by using six trucks that carried the goods to the Cengkareng warehouse in Jakarta. The result was a reported loss of Rp10 billion.

"According to the report to the police, the value of the loss is approximately Rp10 billion. Later we will detail in more detail the items in the trucks that have been taken by the perpetrators," said Kompol Adi.

After being traced, the Bali Police Resmob Team managed to arrest the perpetrator with the initials RBT exactly one day after the incident. RBT was detained at a hotel in the Tuban area, Kuta, Badung where the perpetrator was staying and six truck units containing booty were secured at the Gilimanuk crossing port.

The perpetrator RBT is said to have taken the initiative to forcibly take the goods used in the business of PT Leonardo Gelato Artigianale.

"The perpetrator took the initiative to secure by taking the goods to be stored in the Cengkareng warehouse. Regarding the existing truck and the tools used, it was prepared by the perpetrator himself who often comes to Bali," he said.

It was mentioned that the incident of taking goods by force at the PT Leonardo Gelato Artigianale Ice Cream Cafe was triggered by a dispute between Leonard as the owner of PT Leonardo Gelato Artigianale and Eviane Tantono as Director of PT Artisanal Food Group. Both claim that the goods used in the ice cream sales business belong to the disputing parties.

For this incident, the perpetrator is suspected of the crime of theft with aggravation or theft as referred to in Article 363 of the Criminal Code or Article 362 of the Criminal Code. Until now, the perpetrator RBT is undergoing a detention process at the Bali Police Detention Centre for further investigation and case development. [ari rismaya/radar bali]