Doctor Richard Lee Detained in Consumer Protection Case

Jakarta – Doctor Richard Lee was officially detained by the Metro Jaya Police on Friday, March 6, 2026, in connection with allegations of consumer protection violations related to beauty products and services. The detention follows a case initiated by artist Kartika Putri in December 2024.

Timeline of the Case

December 2, 2024: Kartika Putri filed a police report against Richard Lee with the Polda Metro Jaya, alleging violations of product standards and consumer protection in the beauty care sector. The report was registered under number LP/B/7317/XII/2024/SPKT/Polda Metro Jaya. Source: VOI

December 15, 2025: Investigators officially named Richard Lee as a suspect after completing their initial investigation and gathering evidence. He faces charges under Law Number 17 of 2023 concerning Health and Law Number 8 of 1999 concerning Consumer Protection. Source: VOI, Source: Metapos, Source: Radar Sampit

February 10 – March 1, 2026: Police imposed a travel ban on Richard Lee, initially valid for 20 days. Source: VOI

February 23 & March 5, 2026: Richard Lee failed to appear for mandatory reporting to investigators without providing a valid explanation. Source: VOI

March 3, 2026: Richard Lee did not attend a scheduled additional examination and instead conducted a live stream on TikTok. Source: VOI

March 6, 2026: Richard Lee was detained at the Polda Metro Jaya detention center at 9:50 PM local time. Source: VOI

Reasons for Detention

The Metro Jaya Police cited two primary reasons for Richard Lee’s detention: his failure to attend scheduled examinations and his decision to conduct a TikTok live stream instead of complying with the investigation. Authorities stated that his actions demonstrated a lack of respect for the law. Source: VOI

According to police statements, Richard Lee explained his absence from the examination by stating he was promoting CV Athena products as part of his work during the TikTok live stream. Source: VOI

Previous Legal Challenges

In January 2026, Richard Lee filed a pretrial application challenging his designation as a suspect by the Polda Metro Jaya. Although, the South Jakarta District Court rejected his request, stating that the police had followed proper legal procedures in naming him a suspect. Source: VOI