KPK: Extortion Case in Ministry of Immigration Conducted Systemically
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has disclosed that an alleged extortion case involving stay permits for Foreign Nationals (WNA) and/or the receipt of gratifications within the Ministry of Immigration was conducted systemically. In investigating the case covering the 2022-2026 period, the KPK has named eight individuals as suspects.
The suspects include the Deputy Minister of Immigration and Correctional Services for 2025-2026, Silmy Karim, the Head of the Class I Special West Jakarta Immigration Office, as well as several officials and employees within the Directorate General of Immigration. They have all been suspended following their detention by the KPK.
“The KPK observes that the case in the Ministry of Immigration was not carried out individually, but rather took place systemically,” stated KPK Chairman Setyo Budiyanto during a press conference at the Merah Putih Building, Jakarta, on Thursday (4/6).
Setyo explained that this is reflected in the patterns, command chains, money flows, and structured mechanisms—ranging from the document submission and verification processes to recommendations and the issuance of stay permits, involving both regional and central levels. Consequently, the actions of the arrested parties constitute a single, interconnected series of unlawful acts amounting to corruption-related extortion under Article 12 letter e of the Law on the Eradication of Corruption Crimes.
The KPK uncovered this case through a sting operation (OTT) in Jakarta, West Java, and Bali on 2-3 June 2026. Setyo noted that the investigation originated from follow-up actions regarding the Foreign Worker Utilisation Plan (RPTKA) case at the Ministry of Manpower handled by the KPK in 2025, alongside financial transaction reports from the Indonesian Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK).
PPATK reports regarding financial transactions involving 35 Ministry of Immigration employees for the 2019-2025 period revealed fund flows across 96 bank accounts with a total value of Rp366.7 billion. Of this total, only Rp9.7 billion (approximately 3 per cent) originated from salaries and allowances, while the remaining Rp357 billion (97 per cent) allegedly came from parties applying for immigration services, such as visas, passports, labour permits, and stay permits.
Silmy, who previously served as the Director General of Immigration for 2023-2024, allegedly orchestrated the extortion by ‘demanding a share’ from the processing of foreign national stay permits through the Director of Stay Permits, Jaya Saputra, who now serves as the Head of the Regional Office of the Directorate General of Immigration in West Java. Jaya then instructed Bagus Bramantyo and Tessar Bayu Setyaji, acting as Sub-Directors in the Directorate of Stay Permits, to collect ‘extra fees’ from foreign nationals, where ‘every click has a price’ for every processed stay permit application.
To execute these orders, Bagus and Tessar provided access to Jaya and Gusti Bernardiansayah, a staff member in the Stay Permit Sub-directorate. Gusti allegedly utilised several nominee accounts as ‘collection accounts’ to hold fees from service agencies or foreign nationals. Between 2022 and 2026, officials within the Directorate General of Immigration allegedly received funds—at least Rp145.5 billion—via direct cash, transfers, or intermediary layering.
“The money was then distributed to officials within the Directorate General/Ministry of Immigration every Friday; one individual, SK [Silmy Karim], received a regular share of Rp100 million per week,” Setyo revealed.
The parties involved reportedly used specific distribution codes, such as the term ‘angel’ to refer to money distribution for high-ranking officials. Other codes included terms related to band concert payments, such as ‘vocalist’, ‘guitarist’, ‘backing vocal’, and ‘choreographer’, to represent the flow of money to specific individuals. These codes were used to disguise the distribution of the alleged proceeds of crime.
“Furthermore, the money was used by the parties for personal interests, the purchase of assets, or business activities, such as establishing a towing company, to disguise the receipt of the funds,” explained Setyo.
Silmy and the seven other suspects are charged with violating Article 12 letter e and/or Article 12B of the Law on the Eradication of Corruption Crimes in conjunction with Article 20 letter c of Law Number 1 of 2023 regarding the Criminal Code (KUHP).