Oil merchant Riza Chalid was dragged by a corruption case, this is a complete and controversy profile

About Semarang – The name Mohammad Riza Chalid or widely known as the “Oil merchant”.

The name Riza Chalid returned to the public after being named as one of the suspects in the alleged corruption of crude oil governance and PT Pertamina’s refinery products that occurred during the 2018-2023 period.

The veteran businessman who was also nicknamed “The Gasoline Godfather” was named a suspect by the Indonesian Attorney General’s Office along with eight other people.

In an official statement, the AGO called Riza Chalid as Beneficial Owner (BO) or the most benefited party in the company of PT Orbit Terminal Merak and PT Navigator Khatulistiwa, who were involved in the scandal.

Interestingly, these companies were known to be run by Muhammad Kerry Adrianto Riza, son of Riza Chalid, who had already been a suspect in the same case.

Born in 1960, Riza Chalid is known as one of the most influential entrepreneurs in Indonesia.

He runs a cross -sectoral business, ranging from retail fashion, beverage industry, oil palm plantations, to the petroleum trade business which is the main source of his wealth.

The nickname “Saudagar Oil” was pinned because of its dominant role in oil imports through a subsidiary of PT Pertamina, namely Pertamina Energy Trading Limited (Petral) based in Singapore.

Petral had reaped the spotlight because it was considered to run an import scheme at an uncompetitive price, so that it was touted as the “oil mafia crony” behind the scenes.

The oil business he was involved in was even said to have touched US $ 30 billion per year.

Not surprisingly, his wealth was estimated at US $ 415 million, placed him in the 88th position in the list of the richest people of Globe Asia 2015.

Riza Chalid’s business career is also not separated from controversy.

In August 1997, he represented the company PT Dwipangga Sakti Prima, owned by Mamiek Soeharto and Bambang Trihatmodjo, in the purchase of Sukhoi fighter aircraft in Moscow, Russia.

The company was previously recorded as a mark-up of the purchase of Herkules aircraft, from the actual value of US $ 25 million to US $ 30 million.

At that time, Riza networked with high state officials, including General Wiranto and Ginandjar Kartasasmita.

His name was re -emerged in the case of “Papa Asking Shares” with Setya Novanto in the polemic extension of PT Freeport Indonesia’s operating permit.

He was also reported to have been involved in funding the 2014 presidential election campaign for the pair Prabowo Subianto-Hatta Rajasa, by buying a Polonia house as the headquarters of the success team and funding the People’s Torch Tabloid which was later declared as a media of slander.

On July 10, 2025, the Indonesian Attorney General’s Office named Riza Chalid as a suspect in the alleged corruption of crude oil governance.

He is said to have received benefits from the management of PT Orbit Terminal Merak and PT Tanki Merak, a company that is suspected of participating in the Corruption scheme of oil distribution and the Pertamina refinery product.

The complete list of 9 suspects in this case includes:

1. Alfian Nasution, VP Supply & Distribution of PT Pertamina (2011-2015)
2. Hanung Budya Yuktyanta, Dir. Marketing and Commerce of PT Pertamina (2014)
3. Toto Nugroho, VP Intermediate Supply Pertamina (2017-2018)
4. Dwi Sudarsono, VP Product Trading ISC Pertamina (2019-2020)
5. Arief Sukmara, Dir. New Gas & Business of PT Pertamina International Shipping
6. Hasto Wibowo, SVP ISC Pertamina (2018-2020)
7. Martin Hendra Nata, Business Development Manager of PT Trafigura (2019-2021)
8. Indra Putra Harsono, Business Development Manager of PT Mahameru Kencana Abadi
9. Mohammad Riza Chalid, Bo PT Tanki Merak and PT Orbit Terminal Merak

However, until now Riza Chalid is said to be not in Indonesia.

AGO said his party was tracing the existence of Riza for further legal proceedings.

Riza Chalid married Roestriana Adrianti (Uchu Riza) in 1985, but divorced in 2012.

They have a upper class lifestyle with a vacation routine to exotic world destinations such as Antarctica, Amazon, Luxor, Europe to Cambodia.

His companies such as Supreme Energy, Paramount Petroleum, Straits Oil, and Cosmic Petroleum are known to be based in Singapore and are registered in the Virgin Islands, popular tax paradise among world tycade.

The case that ensnared Riza Chalid is now in the national spotlight.

From the “eternal ruler” of the oil business to the suspect of corruption, the fate of Riza is a picture of the complexity of the relationship between the energy business and power in Indonesia.

The investigation is still ongoing. The public is waiting for the clarity of Riza’s role and responsibility in the scheme that is thought to harm the country up to trillions of rupiah. ***