On October 12, 2023, Syahrul Yasin Limpo, Indonesia’s former Minister of Agriculture (from October 2019 to October 2023), was arrested by the country’s Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on allegations of bribery, abuse of power, and fraud related to contracts with private vendors.

In late September, while Syahrul was on a trip to Europe, KPK officials took action by conducting raids at multiple locations connected to him. The primary targets included his office in Jakarta, his official residence, and a private house in Makassar. During these operations, the KPK seized a substantial amount of evidence, including approximately US$1.9 million in cash. Alongside the currency, various documents of interest were recovered, and an Audi A6 car was also among the items confiscated during these operations.

Syahrul is accused of accepting approximately $885,000 in bribes, with his subordinates, Kasdi Subagyono and Muhammad Hatta, also implicated in the case. Allegedly, Syahrul directed Subagyono and Hatta to pressure ministry officials into providing payments ranging from $4,000 to $10,000 in exchange for job promotions or involvement in procurement projects within the ministry. These illicit funds purportedly originated from the ministry’s budget, and Syahrul is alleged to have received bribes from private vendors who secured projects with the Ministry of Agriculture.