Bali Villas Case: Police Close Fraud Investigation Against Czechs for the Second Time

Czech police have closed the criminal case involving fraud allegations tied to property sales in Bali for the second time. Attorney Tereza Kubalíková, who represents part of the victims, received the relevant ruling on Wednesday — investigators once again concluded there were no signs of a crime.

"I'm surprised the case was closed again, because to me this looks like a clear crime — either fraud, or at the very least embezzlement," Kubalíková said.

Victims shocked by the decision

The police decision has also outraged the victims themselves. The Procházka couple, who lost 2.8 million crowns, point to clear contradictions in the investigation's conclusions. "We're furious. They say they checked everything, yet in the same breath write that Ms. Hintnausová never provided the promised documents. How can you check everything if those documents simply don't exist?" said Zuzana Procházková.

According to her, the current situation is a repeat of last year's events: "It's exactly like last time. Time passes, they don't know what to do, so they close the case."

Nicole Jandek, another victim who paid several million crowns together with her husband for three promised bungalows, expressed a similar reaction. She said that just two weeks before the case was closed again, she had answered around thirty follow-up questions from the investigator.

A case closure that keeps repeating

Police first closed this case last autumn, concluding at the time that there were no signs of a crime and suggesting victims seek reimbursement through other means. However, the regional prosecutor's office in České Budějovice overturned that decision.

According to Kubalíková, the prosecutor's office pointed out to police, among other things, that the actual circumstances of the case had not been sufficiently established, and that the conclusion of no criminal intent was premature. In February 2026, police reopened the investigation.

Damages running into tens of millions of crowns

According to police, more than twenty victims are involved in the case. One of them estimated total damages at roughly 70 million crowns, though police have not officially confirmed a final figure. The victims claim they sent Hintnausová or projects linked to her advance payments for houses and villas in Bali and neighboring Indonesian islands, but never received either the properties or their money back. According to previously established figures, the Jandeks transferred a total of 5.5 million crowns, and the Procházkas 2.8 million.

It previously emerged that Hintnausová had also worked for the Czech consulate in Bali, and according to some clients, trust in her was bolstered by her use of the consulate's official round stamp when notarizing documents. After the scandal broke, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs ended its cooperation with her.

The businesswoman herself has previously denied the allegations, claiming that false information was being spread about her in an attempt to cause harm. In June of this year, it emerged that the Villas Bukit Lipa resort — which Hintnausová had previously mentioned as a possible source of funds to repay investors — was listed for sale for approximately 50 million crowns. The listings were later withdrawn from sale.

Read also: Sending money abroad from Czechia: Wise, Revolut, bank transfer

Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz