Interpol has issued a Red Notice seeking international assistance to arrest a major Indonesian oil trader nicknamed the “Gasoline Godfather” for involvement in corruption worth hundreds of billions of baht.
Foreign news agencies reported on 2 Feb 2026 that the International Criminal Police Organization, Interpol, has issued a Red Notice to arrest one of Indonesia's biggest oil traders in a scandal involving corruption worth over 17 billion U.S. dollars (approximately 537 billion baht).
Muhammad Riza Chalid, nicknamed the “Gasoline Godfather,” is wanted by Indonesian authorities for his involvement in corruption at Pertamina, the state-owned oil company, between 2018 and 2023. The charges against him include money laundering and corruption related to lease contracts.
Antung Widyatmoko, Secretary of Indonesia's Central Interpol National Central Bureau, said on Sunday night (1 Feb) that Interpol officially issued the Red Notice on 23 January. “We cannot yet confirm his exact location, but we have some leads,” he stated.
The Red Notice has been sent to all 196 Interpol member countries to seek cooperation from law enforcement agencies worldwide in locating and arresting the 66-year-old Riza.
Last July, Riza, along with his son Muhammad Kerry Adrianto Riza and several senior Pertamina officials, were named as suspects involved in this corruption case.
The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) stated they are accused of jointly importing crude oil from foreign suppliers at inflated prices instead of sourcing from domestic suppliers as mandated by Indonesian law.
The AGO estimates the financial damage from this corruption at 285 trillion rupiah (approximately 17 billion U.S. dollars) and said that so far 18 suspects have been identified in the case.
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Source:cna