JAKARTA, Indonesia (AFP) — Interpol issued a red notice for the arrest of one of Indonesia’s biggest oil tycoons over a $17-billion corruption scandal, authorities said.

Mohammad Riza Chalid, nicknamed the “gasoline godfather,” is wanted in Indonesia for his alleged involvement in corruption at state-owned oil company Pertamina between 2018 and 2023, including money laundering and manipulating a lease agreement.

Untung Widyatmoko, secretary of Interpol’s Indonesia National Central Bureau, said late Sunday a red notice had been issued by Interpol on 23 January.  

“We can’t specify exactly where he is, but we already know,” he said.

The notice was sent to Interpol’s 196 member countries to request law enforcement worldwide help locate and provisionally arrest 66-year-old Riza.

In July, Riza, his son, Muhammad Kerry Adrianto Riza and several of Pertamina’s high-ranking officials were named in the corruption case.

They are accused of working together to import crude oil from overseas suppliers at higher prices rather than source it domestically as mandated by Indonesian law, according to the Attorney General’s Office.