police show much interest in a high-class prostitution ring that supplied actresses and models to government officials, legislators and magnates. Just do not expect to appoint or to investigate the men who paid enormous sums - perhaps well beyond the scope of their official salaries -. For sex with celebrities
South Jakarta Police on the night of Friday, May 8 arrested a model named Amel Alvi (22) and her pimp, Robby Abbas (31), in a five star hotel . Amel was released after questioning, while Robby, better known as Obbie, remains in custody.
Amel later denied she had been detained and insisted she had never met Obbie, although there are pictures of them together on Instagram and accounts the latter. She also denied allegations that she charged Rp.80 million for sex, saying it would be rich if that was the case.
Obbie began his career as a makeup artist in 1998, allowing him to meet many celebrities. He said he had been pimping since 2012, offering women whose costs "short" for three hours of sex go Rp.80 million to Rp.200 million ($ 6,000 to $ 15,000). It usually took a 20% commission, claiming that earned him about Rp.20 million to Rp.30 million per month. Police said that customers always paid in cash, rather than risk leaving a trail of bank transfers.
It is unclear whether Obbie was a single operator or worked within a team. Police said he provided women in Jakarta and other major Indonesian cities and even abroad. He usually communicated with customers via mobile messaging platforms such as and BlackBerry Messenger.
Model Amel Alvi who was arrested on 8 May with her pimp, Robby Abbas alias Robbie.
Obbie said he had about 200 women for hire, ranging in age from 22 to 35. Police did not name the women, but a list of 17 names - writes that only initials - is widely circulated online. The price list from the beach of Rp.20 million to Rp.200 million. Police said they do not know the source of the list.
Vice President Jusuf Kalla said he often receives text messages with beautiful women services. He said he always deletes these messages immediately. He expressed doubt that all state officials would hire high-priced prostitutes. "Salaries of state employees are small, so how could they afford to pay Rp.100 million?" He asked, without a trace of irony.
Jakarta Governor Basuki ' Ahok 'Tjahaja Purnama noted that some state officials can not afford such services because they are corrupt. "the bribe money may pay for expensive things," he said. "A lot of [high-class prostitutes’] customers are unscrupulous officials. We are hypocrites if we say that we do not know."
When asked Jusuf Kalla about the unofficial list of escorts celebrities and their fees, he said there was no evidence that he was genuine. He said police did not name any suspects listed clients on a group chat found on the phone Obbie, because they could not sue for defamation. He said it would be unethical and perhaps illegal to reveal their identity because there was no evidence they had used the services.
Some women related to the list were quick to issue denials. Actress and singer Julia Perez denied that she had been reserved by customers in Singapore at the end of 2014, saying she had gone there for treatment of cervical cancer. She said a man once offered his Rp.2 billion but dismissed the indecent proposal.
Actress Nikita Mirzani also denied being on the list Obbie, saying she was once offered Rp.200 million for sex, but refused because she does not sleep with just person.
Star Catherine Wilson also denied being a prostitute cinema, saying there was no proof. Catherine was questioned by the Commission for the eradication of corruption last year for receiving a Mitsubishi Pajero and an apartment Central Jakarta as gifts from the alias Tubagus Chaeri Wardana Wawan, currently serving a seven years for bribery and money laundering. Wawan, the brother of former Governor Ratu Atut Chosiyah disgraced Banten, would have given the cars purchased with ill-gotten money, to a large number of attractive celebrities.
Another actress, Baby Margaretha, acknowledged that some models continue a sideline in prostitution to pay for their glamorous lifestyles and branded luxury goods. She said that men offered his cars, and houses in Pondok Indah South Jakarta district in exchange for sex.
Obbie said all the women on his list had voluntarily prostitution. He said many of them had come to him in search of work.
Offering sexual services is illegal under two articles of the Criminal Code. Section 296 stipulates that persons whose facilitates the action illegal sexual activities can be punished by up to one year and four months in prison. Article 506 states that mucikari (pimps) can be imprisoned for one year.
The police said that their investigation does not target any of the women or their clients. Social Affairs Minister Khofifah Indar Parawansa said that customers should be severely punished, as this example and reduce the demand for prostitution. She said that laws need to be changed if necessary to punish the men who pay for sex. "If the application is given a harsh sentence, then the supply side would be automatically reduced."
She said that the Ministry of Social Affairs has closed 33 centers 168 "localized" prostitution that existed in Indonesia last year. The closures prompted prostitution move to boarding houses, apartments and online.
vice president of Jakarta Provincial Legislature Triwisaksana said officials caught using the services of prostitutes should receive "moral sanctions". He declined to be more specific.
He said that police should form a special team of cybercrime to find and stop text messages offering sexual services. He also called for an online complaints service so people can report such messages. Communications and Information Technology Minister Rudiantara agreed that members of the public should report prostitution offered through online messaging services.
Farhat Abbas, a controversial lawyer known for his homophobic views, took to to advise celebrities not to befriend transvestites "in order not to be confused with a pimp or be sold by a pimp. "
High-class prostitution is nothing new in Indonesia. In the late 1970s, some actresses and models were paid the equivalent of $ 750 to $ 1,560 for sex. A small fortune at the time. A 1999 book, Prostitution in Indonesia, its history and its evolution , noted: "The very large incomes of some Indonesians, whether drawn from the legitimate company or corruption, and the tendency to indulge in conspicuous consumption means that there will always be a market, although limited, for sex at these inflated figures. "
the case Obbie receives undue attention. Police should focus more on prostitution involving underage girls or victims of trafficking, and to investigate the wealth of corrupt state officials who pay ridiculously high prices for sex.
all pimps offering models and actresses are not authentic. in 2009, the police arrested a husband and wife team of fraud because they ran websites offering celebrity for sex, but never provided the women announced . Their websites, which included www.jakartaescortladies.com, featured pictures of at least 36 celebrities. Customers transferred to Rp.40 million book of famous women, only to be provided with non-celebrities.