KPK Reveals Imipas Ministry Officials Used Nominee Accounts to Conceal KITAS Extortion Proceeds

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has exposed a dirty tactic used by civil servant (ASN) elements within the Ministry of Immigration and Corrections (Imipas Ministry) to disguise proceeds from extortion or illegal levies. Gusti Bernardiansyah, a staff member at the Subdirectorate of Stay Permits, is known to have used bank accounts under other people’s names, or nominees, as a receptacle for collecting illegal fees. KPK Chairman Setyo Budiyanto explained that GST allegedly utilised these accounts to collect money from the processing of temporary stay permits for foreign nationals. The source of the funds came from guarantors, service bureaus, and sponsors handling immigration documents. Based on data from the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK), the accounts used included names of family members, relatives, and even cleaning service staff and office assistants. “So, he indeed did not use his own account but used several other accounts. In fact, the KPK suspects Gusti Bernardiansyah purchased a number of accounts to support the alleged corruption crime,” Setyo stated at the KPK’s Red and White Building in Jakarta on Thursday. The sting operation, dubbed Operation Immigration, was an expansion of a hand-arrest operation conducted by the KPK on 2-3 June 2026 within the Class I Special Non-TPI Immigration Office in West Jakarta. This operation was recorded as the 11th sting operation carried out by the anti-graft agency throughout 2026. In the operation, the KPK secured 17 individuals, consisting of eight state officials and nine private parties. The case focuses on alleged extortion in the processing of Limited Stay Permit Cards (KITAS) and Permanent Stay Permit Cards (KITAP). As of 4 June 2026, the KPK has named eight people as suspects and officially detained them. The suspects appeared wearing orange vests when presented to the public, including Deputy Minister of Immigration and Corrections, Silmy Karim. In addition to the names above, the KPK also detained Tessar Bayu Setyaji (Subdirectorate Head), Bagus Bramantyo (Subdirectorate Head), and Juniadi Sri Priambudi (ITAS Status Transfer Team Leader). Further investigation is still ongoing to trace the flow of funds in Rupiah currency allegedly channelled to various parties within the ministry.