Demarcating Administrative Disputes and Transfer Pricing Fraud: A Corporate Mens Rea Reconstruction Model
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.38035/gijea.v4i3.1116Keywords:
Transfer Pricing Fraud, Corporate Mens Rea, PMK 172/2023, Ultimum Remedium, DEMPE Analysis, Comparative Tax LawAbstract
This study addresses the legal uncertainty in distinguishing bona fide administrative disputes under the Arm’s Length Principle (ALP) from criminal tax fraud in transfer pricing practices in Indonesia. Utilizing a juridical-normative approach combined with comparative legal analysis, this paper evaluates four landmark judicial precedents (PT Astra International Tbk, PT Asian Agri Group, PT Adaro Indonesia, and PT Kaltim Prima Coal) against PMK 172/2023, OECD DEMPE standards, and international corporate criminal liability doctrines. The findings indicate that the boundary between administrative adjustments and criminal prosecution relies on substantiating economic substance and corporate intent (mens rea), rather than nominal tax correction thresholds. This paper contributes three conceptual frameworks: (1) the Four-Layer Transfer Pricing Fraud Test, (2) the Corporate Mens Rea Reconstruction Model, and (3) the Forensic Early Warning Framework. Grounded in utilitarian theory and the ultimum remedium principle, the study advocates for prioritizing restorative administrative sanctions to maximize state revenue recovery while safeguarding the national investment climate.
References
Allingham, M. G., & Sandmo, A. (1972). Income tax evasion: A theoretical analysis. Journal of Public Economics, 1(3-4), 323–338. https://doi.org/10.1016/0047-2727(72)90010-2
Avi-Yonah, R. S., & Mazzoni, G. (2020). BEPS and the ongoing international tax competition. World Tax Journal, 12(1), 3–28.
Bentham, J. (2021). An introduction to the principles of morals and legislation: Rekonstruksi konsep utilitarianisme dalam hukum ekonomi. Penerbit Hukum Ekonomi Kontemporer.
Bhattacharjee, S. (2023). Corporate criminal liability and corporate culture: A comparative study of UK and Indian perspectives. Journal of Financial Crime, 30(4), 981–996. https://doi.org/10.1108/JFC-03-2022-0067
Braithwaite, V. (2020). Taxing democracy: Understanding tax avoidance and tax evasion. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003117827
Bullock, A. (2022). Transfer pricing documentation and BEPS Action 13: A comparative analysis of global compliance standards. Intertax, 50(6), 488–502.
Gunadi. (2023). Transfer pricing: Suatu tinjauan atas prinsip kewajaran dan kelaziman usaha dalam perspektif pajak internasional. Salemba Empat.
Hiariej, E. O. S. (2024). Ultimum remedium dalam hukum pidana ekonomi dan perpajakan Indonesia. Pustaka Hukum Nasional.
Kusumaatmadja, M. (2021). Teori hukum pembangunan dalam perubahan masyarakat (Shidarta, Ed.). Kencana.
OECD. (2022). OECD transfer pricing guidelines for multinational enterprises and tax administrations 2022. OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/0e655865-en
Sikka, P., & Willmott, H. (2021). Transfer pricing and tax avoidance: The misapplication of the arm’s length principle. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, 34(3), 560–589. https://doi.org/10.1108/AAAJ-06-2019-4059
Supreme Court of the Republic of Indonesia. (2012). Decision Number 2239 K/PID.SUS/2012 (PT Asian Agri Group Case). Supreme Court of the Republic of Indonesia.
Supreme Court of the Republic of Indonesia. (2015). Decision Number 108/B/PK/PJK/2015 to 112/B/PK/PJK/2015 (PT Astra International Tbk Case). Supreme Court of the Republic of Indonesia.
Yunia, L., & Wijaya, S. (2024). Dilema kriminalisasi dalam sengketa perpajakan: Tinjauan atas praktik transfer pricing. Jurnal Hukum Ekonomi Indonesia, 7(2), 210–230.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Dani Simanjuntak, Basyiruddin Nur, Ahalik Ahalik, Karsam Karsam, Atik Budi Paryanti, Solihin Solihin

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Copyright :
Authors who publish their manuscripts in this journal agree to the following conditions:
- Copyright in each article belongs to the author.
- The author acknowledges that the GIJEA has the right to be the first to publish under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license (Attribution 4.0 International CC BY 4.0).
- Authors can submit articles separately, arrange the non-exclusive distribution of manuscripts that have been published in this journal to other versions (for example, sent to the author's institutional repository, publication in a book, etc.), by acknowledging that the manuscript has been published for the first time at GIJEA.























