Nadiem Faces Rp5.6tn Demand: 'They Know I Don't Have the Money'

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Prosecutors have demanded former Indonesian Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Nadiem Makarim to pay Rp5.6 trillion (US$340 million) in restitution in a corruption case involving Chromebook and Chrome Device Management (CDM) procurement for fiscal years 2020–2022.

The demand is in addition to an 18-year prison sentence and a Rp1 billion fine.

“Imposing additional penalties on defendant Nadiem Anwar Makarim in the form of restitution payment,” prosecutor Roy Riady said during a hearing at the Central Jakarta District Court on Wednesday, May 13, 2026.

The prosecutors said the restitution figure consists of Rp809 billion and Rp4.8 trillion, representing what they described as “unbalanced wealth compared to legitimate income or suspected proceeds of corruption.”

They added that if Nadiem fails to pay within one month after a final and binding verdict, his assets may be seized and auctioned. If his assets are insufficient, he could face an additional nine-year prison term.

Nadiem questioned the demand, suggesting the figure was excessive and unfounded.

“Maybe because it is already clear from the trial process that I am not guilty. But fearing an acquittal, such a high amount is being imposed,” he told reporters after the hearing.

He also said he lacked the financial capacity to meet the demand, claiming his total assets at the end of his ministerial term were below Rp500 billion.

Nadiem said prosecutors appeared to rely on the peak valuation of his wealth during the initial public offering (IPO) period of PT Gojek Indonesia, the company he founded. He argued that the valuation was temporary and not reflective of liquid assets.

“They used that figure, and that became the basis for the restitution. And they know I don’t have that money,” he said.

He added that the wealth cited by prosecutors was legitimate income unrelated to the Chromebook case.

“It was shares I received in 2015, and all the evidence is already there. But it is still being used as a legal weapon,” he said.

In the indictment, prosecutors allege that Nadiem acted alongside other defendants, including Ibrahim Arief alias Ibam, Mulyatsyah, Sri Wahyuningsih, and Jurist Tan.

They are charged under Article 603 in conjunction with Article 18 of the Anti-Corruption Law and Article 20(c) of Law No. 1 of 2023 on the Criminal Code (KUHP).

Prosecutors previously alleged that Nadiem personally enriched himself by Rp809.59 million and also benefited 12 private companies acting as Chromebook vendors.

They further claimed that Chromebook procurement was influenced by business interests linked to efforts to encourage Google to increase investment and fund transfers to PT Aplikasi Karya Anak Bangsa (AKAB), the company founded by Nadiem. After the 2021 merger of Gojek and Tokopedia, AKAB became part of PT GoTo Gojek Tokopedia. Google had long been a business partner of Gojek prior to the merger.

The prosecution estimated state losses from the procurement at Rp2.18 trillion, consisting of Rp1.56 trillion from Chromebook laptop purchases based on an audit by Indonesia’s Supreme Audit Agency, and US$44,054,426 (about Rp621.38 billion) from Chrome Device Management procurement.