In a world saturated with digital and offline scams, the line between a scammer and a victim often becomes dangerously blurred.

Our story today examines two tragic homicides in Indonesia, where women who were victims of fraud themselves were fatally assaulted by those they subsequently deceived, raising a profound question: Does debt-fueled desperation justify an act of fatal violence?

The Midwife’s Promise and the Price of PHP 35,000

The first case centers on Hetti Putri Karmila (23), a kind, compassionate midwife working near an oil palm plantation in West Kalimantan, Indonesia.

Hetti was highly trusted by her community, who relied on her expertise and often rewarded her with fruits and free repairs for her small clinic room.

Hetti’s tragedy began when she was scammed by a former university friend in a fake investment scheme promising to build five local clinics.

Believing in the legitimacy of the project, Hetti successfully raised PHP 500,000 from the local community, promising double returns on their investments.

After handing over the money, Hetti’s friend vanished. Hetti, realizing the fraud, chose not to hide but to face her community.

She promised to repay every investor, working diligently, funneling her clinic salary into debt repayment, even borrowing PHP 10,000 from her own family.

However, her decision to prioritize larger investors first angered Narsip (23), a palm oil worker who had invested his entire life savings of PHP 35,000.

Narsip felt that Hetti dismissed him because of the small size of his investment, fueling deep resentment and anger.

This simmering rage, exacerbated by alcohol, led to the final confrontation on the morning of October 23, 2023.

Narsip, drunk after a night of heavy drinking, entered Hetti’s clinic intending only to scare her into immediate repayment.

A struggle ensued. Narsip confessed that he was forced to strangle Hetti until she lost consciousness.

In a horrifying escalation of the crime, Narsip admitted that he was then aroused by the defenseless midwife and sexually assaulted her after causing her loss of life.

Hetti’s body was found later that morning by a pregnant patient and her husband, leading to Narsip’s eventual arrest in Bantan Province.

Narsip, who claimed his mind was clouded by alcohol and anger, was charged with murder and sexual assault, crimes for which he faces the potential penalty of life imprisonment or the de@th penalty.

The Delivery Rider and the Gambler’s Debt

The second tragic story involves Sevy Au Claudia (30), a delivery rider who, despite her friendly, independent nature, became addicted to online gambling.

Sevy’s gambling vice led her to permanently move back into her parents’ home after losing her own apartment. Desperate for money, she approached her coworker and friend, Rama (36), for a loan.

Sevy convinced Rama to lend her PHP 25,000 for one final attempt to recover her losses, promising Rama a cut of her winnings.

Rama agreed, but days later, he realized Sevy had lost the money and was actively avoiding him. He felt betrayed and realized Sevy had scammed him out of his hard-earned money.

On July 26, 2025, Rama confronted Sevy at an abandoned house. Rama realized Sevy had no intention of repaying the debt and had gambled away his trust and money.

In a fit of rage and betrayal, Rama attacked Sevy, repeatedly assaulting her with a hard object to the he@d until she tragically lost consciousness.

After the crime, Rama placed Sevy’s body in a black plastic bag, concealed the remains inside a box, and drove his motorcycle to a remote field in Gersik, where he dumped the container.

The next day, a resident found the suspicious box and called the police. Sevy was identified via fingerprints.

Rama was located at a delivery rider hangout, where he attempted to flee on his motorcycle, forcing police to shoot him in the leg to secure his arrest.

Rama confessed to the crime, claiming Sevy’s betrayal and the realization that his money was gone fueled his rage. He now faces murder charges and the potential penalty of life imprisonment or the de@th penalty.

The Vicious Cycle

Both Hetti and Sevy were tragically victimized by personal betrayal and desperate men who acted violently over debt.

While Hetti was herself a victim of a larger fraud and attempted to do right by her community, she became a target because of her perceived betrayal. Sevy’s gambling addiction cost her both her life and her friend’s trust.

The cases serve as a sobering warning: in a cycle of fraud and financial desperation, the consequences of betrayal are often lethal, and the line between victim and perpetrator is dangerously thin.