Wahroni, Jakarta – Tax authorities in Tangerang, Banten, are searching for a McLaren 570S supercar and its actual owner after a motorcycle mechanic whose name appears on the vehicle's registration denied ever buying the luxury car, which has an outstanding tax bill of Rp 137 million ($7,500).
The sports car, valued at nearly Rp 5 billion ($275,000), is registered under the name of Yudariansyah, a resident of Tangerang.
When officials from the local vehicle registration and tax office, known as Samsat, visited his modest home in Pinang District, they discovered that Yudariansyah earns his living repairing motorcycles at a small workshop attached to his house.
Yudariansyah immediately denied owning the McLaren and called for an investigation into possible identity misuse to clear his name.
Following the visit, officials blocked the vehicle's registration record in the Samsat tax system and began coordinating with police to establish its whereabouts and actual ownership.
Idham Kholid, head of the Samsat Ciledug office in Tangerang, confirmed the action on Monday.
"Today, we blocked the vehicle in the Samsat Ciledug tax system. Yudariansyah thanked us because the vehicle registered in his name, which he says he does not own, has now been blocked," Idham said.
According to vehicle registration records, the McLaren's registration was transferred from Bekasi to Ciledug in October 2022.
Idham said authorities had yet to locate the car. The case has also drawn the attention of the National Police Traffic Corps chief, with investigators working to determine who actually owns the vehicle.
"The police are now looking into this case to establish who the vehicle really belongs to," he said.
Idham stressed that the investigation was part of broader efforts to enforce vehicle tax obligations, including those involving luxury cars.
"We are pursuing luxury vehicles whose owners have outstanding tax obligations," he said.
Mechanic shocked by $7,500 tax bill
Three days before the latest announcement, Yudariansyah was informed by Samsat officials that he owed Rp 137 million in taxes on the McLaren for a one-year period.
The notification came as a shock to the motorcycle mechanic, who said his income was nowhere near sufficient to purchase a supercar costing billions of rupiah.
He also insisted that he had never lent his national identity card, or KTP, to anyone.
"I want my name cleared. I don't want anything on my record because I'm worried this could affect my dealings with banks and cause problems for me later," Yudariansyah said.
The case has raised questions about how a luxury vehicle could be registered under the name of someone who denies owning it.
The use of another person's identity to register high-value assets can potentially conceal beneficial ownership and, in some circumstances, may be associated with financial crimes. However, authorities have not established whether identity fraud, money laundering, or any other criminal offense occurred in this case.