US Fugitive Arrested Hiding in Bunker in Sawangan, Depok

The Directorate General of Immigration has arrested a United States national, identified by the initials AW (also known as BW, AYW, or JW), inside a bunker at his residence. The arrest took place on 23 April 2026 in Sawangan, Depok, West Java, with the official announcement released today.

The Director General of Immigration, Hendarsam Marantoko, stated that the department received a request for assistance in the arrest from the United States Embassy on 5 March 2026. “Following up on that request, we immediately conducted pre-investigations and a series of intelligence operations, which ultimately led to the individual being secured on 23 April 2026 in Depok,” Hendarsam said in a statement on Monday (8/6/2026).

AW is known to have entered Indonesia on 7 November 2011 to evade legal proceedings regarding sexual abuse cases committed in the US. According to Hendarsam, the discovery of the case began when a woman, identified as NM, arrived at the Directorate General of Immigration on 5 December 2024, accompanied by her two children.

NM reported that her stay permit had expired approximately five years ago due to movement restrictions imposed by AW, her husband. NM also claimed to be a victim of sexual abuse by the man during their time in the US. Immigration authorities subsequently facilitated the return of NM and her children to the United States on 7 December 2024. Following this, the Directorate General of Immigration engaged in intensive coordination with the US Embassy to trace AW’s history, eventually confirming his legal status.

“Because it was discovered that the individual had changed his identity multiple times over the 15 years since entering Indonesia. AW became a US citizen through a naturalisation scheme on 4 May 2000 and held a US passport that expired in 2010,” Hendarsam added.