KPK Uncovers Widespread Extortion Scheme for Foreigner Stay Permits Across Immigration Offices
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has revealed new findings regarding alleged extortion practices within immigration offices (kanim) spread across several regions in Indonesia. This information emerged as a development from the sting operation (OTT) conducted by the anti-corruption agency earlier in June.
KPK Spokesperson Budi Prasetyo stated that the agency has received reports from various elements of society regarding similar practices in other areas. This information is now being used to enrich the investigation to dismantle the corruption network within the Directorate General of Immigration more broadly.
“We have obtained a number of pieces of information from various sources, including the public, who reported alleged corrupt practices in other regions. This serves as enrichment for investigators to uncover further cases of alleged extortion in the processing of stay permits for foreign nationals (WNA),” Budi said at the KPK’s Merah Putih Building in Jakarta on Wednesday night (17/6/2026).
Budi explained that the previous sting operation at an immigration office served as an entry point for the KPK to target more systematic corrupt practices. The KPK suspects that the extortion scheme in immigration document processing did not occur at just one location, but follows a similar pattern in several regional immigration offices.
The KPK also appealed to the public, especially foreign nationals who have been victims of extortion, to come forward and report. “Information from victims is crucial for investigators to see where these practices occur and what methods are used,” he added.
The case drew public attention after several high-ranking officials within the Ministry of Immigration and Corrections (formerly under the Ministry of Law and Human Rights) were named as suspects. One prominent name is Silmy Karim, who served as Director General of Immigration for the 2023-2024 period.
In addition to Silmy, the KPK also named the Acting Director General of Immigration for the 2024-2025 period, Saffar Muhammad Godam, along with several other echelon officials at both the regional and central levels as suspects. They are alleged to have been involved in an extortion scheme that benefited certain parties to the tune of hundreds of billions of rupiah.
To date, KPK investigators continue to examine documents and question witnesses to map the flow of extortion proceeds and identify the possible involvement of other parties at the regional level.