Former Indonesian Minister Nadiem Makarim Sentenced to 10 Years for Chromebook Corruption

On 30 June 2026 Indonesia’s Central Jakarta Corruption Court sentenced former education minister and Gojek co‑founder Nadiem Makarim to ten years’ imprisonment for corrupt procurement of school Chromebooks. The court ordered a fine of 1 billion rupiah and restitution of 809 billion rupiah (≈US$48 million). Prosecutors had sought up to 18 years and restitution of more than 5 trillion rupiah, but the judges issued a lighter verdict, citing the defendant’s age and potential future contributions.

The case involves the 2019‑2022 purchase of roughly 1.6 million Chromebooks for digital learning during the COVID‑19 pandemic, with state losses estimated at 1.5‑2.1 trillion rupiah. One judge noted that Google benefited, citing investments totalling US$787 million in a related company. A dissenting judge, however, argued that Nadiem should be acquitted. The verdict marks a high‑profile graft trial against a former cabinet member and a leading tech entrepreneur, underscoring Indonesia’s anti‑corruption drive.

Nadiem publicly claimed that the court ignored facts and expressed disappointment, while the prosecution affirmed that the judgment aligns with the evidence presented and denied any criminalisation of the policy.