Hanania Travel Fraud: 1,286 Victims Lose Rp35.3 Billion in Hajj and Umrah Scam

A major fraud case involving Hanania Travel has defrauded 1,286 people of approximately Rp35.34 billion in a scheme promising hajj and umrah pilgrimage packages. The victims' legal representative, Joddy Mulyasetya Putra, revealed the scale of the deception to journalists at Jakarta Metro Police headquarters on Wednesday, June 17, 2026. Among the registered packages, four were specifically hajj pilgrims who fell victim to the scheme by being promised free umrah in Shawwal month after paying initial deposits.

The fraud operated through false promises and misappropriation of funds. Victims deposited money directly to Hanania Travel, which was supposed to be forwarded to BPKH (the state hajj fund management body), but these payments never reached the legitimate authority. Pilgrims paid initial deposits of approximately USD 5,000 per person for hajj packages and never received their hajj quota numbers, leaving them unable to proceed with their pilgrimage. Co-counsel Anny Rofi Sulistyani noted that while regular hajj quotas through official channels require USD 4,000, the company's additional charges and failure to register pilgrims with BPKH created a parallel system that trapped victims' money.

Company director Ahmad Shah Farhan (ASFR) has been named as a suspect and charged with fraud, embezzlement, and money laundering under the 2023 Criminal Code. Investigators allege that embezzled funds were diverted for personal interests, including payments to influencers for marketing purposes. Several celebrities and influencers, including Keanu Angelo, comedian Praz Teguh, Paula Verhoeven, Aaliyah Massaid and Thariq Halilintar, Dara Arafah, and others, were questioned in connection with the case regarding their involvement in promoting the scheme.

Legal representatives estimate that the actual victim count may significantly exceed the currently documented 1,286 cases, potentially reaching 3,000 or more. They are actively investigating additional victims and encouraging unreported victims to come forward to police. The case has drawn criticism from lawmakers; Ahmad Sahroni, Deputy Chair of the Parliamentary Commission III, called for the harshest possible punishment, emphasizing that religion should never be weaponized for deception and expressing concern about the broader damage to Indonesia's travel industry reputation.