Timeline of Nadiem Makarim’s Chromebook Corruption Case and 10-Year Sentence

JAKARTA, Jakartaweekly.com— Former Indonesian Minister of Education, Culture, Research and Technology Nadiem Anwar Makarim was sentenced to 10 years in prison after the Central Jakarta Corruption Court found him guilty of corruption in the procurement of Chromebooks and Chrome Device Management (CDM) licenses for schools during the 2020–2022 fiscal years.

The court ruled that Nadiem had abused his authority in formulating the procurement policy, causing Rp1.56 trillion (approximately US$95 million) in state losses. In addition to the prison sentence, he was ordered to pay a Rp1 billion fine and Rp809.5 billion in restitution.

The case has attracted nationwide attention since investigators first began examining the procurement program in 2025. Below is a timeline of the major developments.

2019: Technical Evaluation Raises Concerns

Before Nadiem took office, technical evaluations conducted in 2019 reportedly concluded that Chromebooks were unsuitable for many Indonesian schools, particularly those in underdeveloped, frontier and outermost (3T) regions because the devices relied heavily on internet connectivity.

At the time, the technical team recommended Windows-based laptops instead.

2020: Chromebook Procurement Policy Begins

After becoming minister, Nadiem introduced the Google for Education program as part of the government’s digital transformation initiative.

Investigators later alleged that ministry officials promoted Chrome OS devices despite earlier technical findings and prepared procurement plans before the official tender process began.

The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) also questioned Ministerial Regulation No. 5 of 2021, which required laptops purchased through the education Special Allocation Fund (DAK) to use Chrome OS.

May 2025: AGO Launches Investigation

The AGO formally opened a corruption investigation into the Chromebook procurement program after receiving allegations that ministry officials manipulated technical studies to favor Google’s Chrome operating system.

Investigators suspected several individuals had influenced the ministry’s technical team to produce recommendations supporting Chrome OS devices despite previous evaluations reaching different conclusions.

Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) also criticized the Rp9.9 trillion procurement program, arguing that it was not a priority during the COVID-19 pandemic and that the procurement requirements limited competition among suppliers.

June 2025: Nadiem Denies Wrongdoing

As the investigation intensified, Nadiem publicly denied any wrongdoing.

Accompanied by lawyer Hotman Paris Hutapea, he pledged to cooperate with investigators and insisted that Chromebooks were distributed only to schools with reliable internet access.

He also said schools in Indonesia’s 3T regions were served through a separate digital initiative known as Awan Penggerak.

September 2025: Named a Suspect

On Sept. 4, 2025, the AGO officially named Nadiem a corruption suspect after questioning him for around 12 hours.

Prosecutors alleged that shortly after taking office, Nadiem met representatives from Google Indonesia to discuss Google for Education, which later became the basis for procuring Chrome OS devices and Chrome Device Management licenses.

Investigators also alleged that ministry officials held closed-door meetings before the procurement officially began.

Late 2025–2026: Trial Begins

Before the trial opened, Nadiem challenged his suspect designation through a pretrial motion, arguing that the case concerned government policy rather than criminal conduct.

The court rejected the motion, allowing prosecutors to proceed.

During the trial, prosecutors accused Nadiem of causing Rp2.18 trillion in state losses while indirectly benefiting through the increased valuation of GoTo following Google’s investment.

Nadiem rejected the allegations, arguing that the gains cited by prosecutors were linked to publicly disclosed corporate shareholdings rather than corrupt payments.

The court heard testimony from former ministry officials, procurement personnel and former Google Asia Pacific President Scott Beaumont, who stated that Google’s investment in Gojek was unrelated to the Ministry of Education.

May 2026: Prosecutors Seek 18 Years

Prosecutors demanded an 18-year prison sentence, accusing Nadiem of abusing his authority in the Chromebook procurement program and causing more than Rp2.18 trillion in state losses.

They also sought restitution after alleging that Nadiem indirectly gained Rp809.59 billion through Google’s investment in GoTo.

In his closing statement, Nadiem denied receiving illicit funds and argued that prosecutors had misinterpreted legitimate corporate transactions involving PT Karya Anak Bangsa and PT Gojek Indonesia.

June 30, 2026: Court Sentences Nadiem to 10 Years

On June 30, 2026, the Central Jakarta Corruption Court found Nadiem guilty under the subsidiary indictment and sentenced him to 10 years in prison.

The court also imposed a Rp1 billion fine and ordered him to pay Rp809.5 billion in restitution. If unpaid, the state may seize and auction his assets, while any remaining balance would be converted into an additional five years in prison.

The ruling was not unanimous. Judge Andi Saputra issued a dissenting opinion, arguing that prosecutors had failed to prove the charges and that Nadiem should have been acquitted.

Following the verdict, Nadiem announced he would appeal, maintaining that he had never personally benefited from the Chromebook procurement program.