Police have arrested ten members of an international credit card theft syndicate operating in the Ubud tourist area, Gianyar Regency, Bali. The group consists of six foreign nationals and four Indonesians who played distinct roles within the operation.
The case was uncovered following a report lodged by South Korean actress Jeon Hye-bin, whose husband became a victim while the couple were holidaying in Ubud on 1 October 2025.
Gianyar Police Chief AKBP Chandra C Kesuma confirmed that the suspects included four Indonesian citizens, identified by the initials PT alias Putu, IKPS alias Made, HL alias Har, and JW alias Jo.
They allegedly provided electronic data capture (EDC) machines used to process illegal credit card transactions. The foreign suspects consist of two Chinese nationals, Hua alias Sam and JWW alias Dave, and four Mongolian nationals, identified as MK alias Jigurr, SA alias Shar, SD alias Soko, and GZ alias Zolo.
According to Kesuma, the report submitted by Jeon Hye-bin led officers to uncover the group’s activities. “The victims are all foreign nationals from Korea and China, one of whom is the husband of Korean actress Jeon Hye-bin, who lost his wallet containing credit cards while travelling in the Ubud area,” he said on Wednesday, 3 December 2025.
He stated that Jeon’s husband lost around Rp132 million after the perpetrators used the stolen credit card. Police then traced the transactions and movements of the suspects.
“Approximately two to three days after receiving the report, our team arrested all the perpetrators at different locations in Denpasar and Gianyar,” he said.
Kesuma explained that the group targeted crowded tourist spots, including Ubud Palace, Ubud Monkey Forest, Jalan Raya Ubud, Ubud Kaja, and the Ubud Thematic Market.
“Looking at their modus operandi, they were experienced. Some stole from bags, others concealed the crime, and others diverted the victim,” he explained.
The Mongolian suspects allegedly conducted the thefts directly in the field. The two Chinese suspects acted as intermediaries between the Indonesian machine providers and the Mongolian executors.
“Their modus operandi was to steal from a bag or shoulder bag, open the bag, take the wallet, and then take the credit card,” Kesuma said. He explained that once the card was obtained, it was processed through an EDC machine, and the funds were transferred to accounts abroad.
@kompastv.indonesiaAktris Korea Selatan Jeon Hye-bin mengalami kejadian tak menyenangkan saat berlibur di Bali. Dompet beserta kartu kredit miliknya hilang di kawasan Ubud pada Rabu, 1 Oktober 2025. Tak lama setelah kehilangan, ia menerima notifikasi transaksi mencurigakan dari kartu kreditnya dengan total mencapai Rp132 juta. Sehari setelah kejadian, Kamis (2/10), Jeon Hye-bin resmi melaporkan kasus ini ke Polsek Ubud. Simak video selengkapnya dan dapatkan berita terkini lainnya di www.kompas.tv serta youtube.com/kompastv #VODKompasTV #TikTokBerita
Police Pursue Flow of Illegal Transactions
Investigators confirmed that five tourists, three South Koreans and two Chinese nationals, suffered losses of hundreds of millions of rupiah. The victims realised the theft only after receiving digital transaction notifications on their mobile phones. Police believe the group operated in Bali for some time using the same method.
Kesuma said officers are continuing to trace the financial trail. “We are still investigating the flow of funds to bank accounts in Uganda; we are trying to confirm this with the banks. Some funds were also sent to accounts in Indonesia,” he stated.
The ten suspects have been named as defendants and charged under Article 363 of the Indonesian Criminal Code or Article 480 in conjunction with Articles 53 and 56. The offences carry a maximum penalty of seven years’ imprisonment.
Kesuma confirmed that all arrests took place in early October, shortly after the initial report was made. “Yes, the husband of the Korean actress was one of the victims. There are five in total,” he said. “Korean and Chinese nationals were among the victims. The crime scene was located near Ubud Palace and shops at the Ubud Thematic Market.”
Police say the investigation will continue until the full network and financial channels are identified.
