Alana Cayless, one of the victims, shared her experience of losing AUD 40,000 in what she thought was a dream villa. Instead, it turned out to be a non-existent property, part of a grander scam

Authorities in both Indonesia and Australia have been grappling with the legal complexities of her case. In Australia, she faced five charges of dishonestly obtaining financial gain, all linked to her fraudulent activities.

Although her crimes warranted serious legal attention, the courts opted for an 18-month Community Correction Order (CCO), a penalty that allows her to serve her sentence within the community under strict supervision, rather than behind bars

The decision to grant her a CCO, rather than imprison her, sparked a heated debate in the local community. Some saw it as lenient, considering the amount of money she had swindled from her victims. Others pointed out that the CCO allowed for continued monitoring, ensuring that she could no longer operate her fraudulent schemes without scrutiny. However, the controversy was far from over. Victims in Bali were pushing for her to be extradited to Indonesia to face additional charges related to the villa scam

The depth of Prima Putri Ratnasari’s schemes has left many victims emotionally and financially scarred. For some, like Alana Cayless, it wasn’t just about the money.

“She shattered our trust, and for that, no amount of compensation can ever truly fix what she did,” Alana said in an interview.

Her words echo the sentiments of many others who fell for Putry’s charismatic charm and elaborate promises