Suara.com – Christopher Stefanus Budianto alias Steven has reportedly just been arrested in Thailand. He is a suspect in the embezzlement and fraud case of 11 luxury cars belonging to artist Jessica Iskandar worth IDR 9.8 billion.
Head of the International Relations Division (Kadiv Hubinter) of the National Police, Inspector General Krishna Murti, said that Steven was arrested in Thailand. The arrest process was carried out in collaboration with the country’s police and immigration authorities.
“The Thai Police and Thai Immigration are very cooperative and helped us in arresting the person concerned. Currently the person concerned is being held at the Thai Police,” Krishna told reporters, Tuesday (21/11/2023).
So who is Steven?
According to a number of sources, Christopher Stefanus Budianto or Steven is a person who owns a car lending business. He serves as commissioner of a business entity called Triip.id.
The commissioner of a car rental service based in Java and Bali was originally a close friend of Jessica Iskandar. Judging from its Instagram, Triip.id rents cars for the Surabaya and Bali areas.
Steven is known to have studied at Pelita Harapan University (UPH). He is known to have a girlfriend named Tiffany who also helps him in running the business.
Jessica Iskandar got to know Steven and Tiffany when they just moved to Bali several years ago. Initially, they offered Jessica Iskandar endorsement services.
Jessica Iskandar also believed it because several fellow artists appeared to be advertising the car rental service. Reporting from his Instagram, everyone from Kiky Saputri, Lucinta Luna to Celine Evangelista have used his services.
Then after offering an endorsement, Steven invited the mother of two to join in the business by lending her his private car for rent.
According to Jessica Iskandar, Steven offered a profit of IDR 66 million a month for Jessica Iskandar’s Alphard car.
However, after some time, Jessica Iskandar began to become suspicious of Steven because there were no longer any transfers from him. Until it was finally revealed that Steven had taken Jessica’s cars worth billions of rupiah.
Steven is suspected of having embezzled 11 cars belonging to Jessica Iskandar, 5 units of the Alphard brand, 2 Porsche cars, 1 Mercedes S Class, Hammer, Land Cruiser and Mini Cooper.