KPK Investigates Alleged Money Laundering in the Case of Extortion of Foreign Nationals at the Ministry of Imipas
JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has the opportunity to apply the article on money laundering (TPPU) in the case of alleged extortion of the management of residence permits for foreign nationals (WNA) in the environment of the Ministry of Immigration and Correction (Imipas).
Acting Director of Investigation of the KPK, Achmad Taufik Husein, said that the deepening into money laundering was carried out because investigators found a number of assets during the hand-in-hand operation (OTT) held on June 3. Among them are trail motorcycles, cars, and gold bullion.
"Whether this is to TPPU, yes, of course we will develop it there. Because there are many assets, there are several means of transportation," said Taufik at the KPK Red and White Building, Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta, quoted Saturday, June 6.
The investigator is said to be tracing the origin of the assets that have been confiscated and the possibility of an attempt to disguise the results of the crime through various financial transactions.
The suspected use of nominee accounts or accounts in the name of another party to accommodate the proceeds of extortion before being transferred into assets, continued Taufik, must also be investigated.
"We will investigate the acquisition and whether it comes from laundering from a nominee account and then buying assets, well that has elements of money laundering," he said.
The KPK previously named eight suspects from a hand-in-hand operation (OTT) related to the residence permits of foreign nationals (WNA) in the environment of the Ministry of Immigration and Correction on Wednesday, June 3. The details are as follows:
1. Wamen Imipas 2025-2026 who is also Director General (Dirjen) Imipas 2023-2024 Silmy Karim; 2. Acting Director General of Immigration 2024-2025 Saffar Muhammad Godam; 3. Head of the Regional Office (Kakanwil) of the Directorate General of Immigration West Java who previously served as Director of Residence Permits and Immigration Status of the Immigration Directorate Jaya Saputra; 4. Sub-Directorate of Residence Permit Status in the Directorate of Residence Permits and Immigration Status of the Immigration Directorate Tessar Bayu Setyaji; 5. Sub-Directorate in the Directorate of Residence Permits Bagus Bramantyo; 6. Head of the Central Jakarta Immigration Office 2024-2025 and Head of the Class I Immigration Office for Non-TPI West Jakarta 2025-2026 Ronald Arman Abdullah; 7. Chairman of the ITAS Status Transfer Team Juniadi Sri Priambudi; and 8. Staff of the Residence Permit Sub-Directorate Gusti Benardiansyah.
In the silent operation, the anti-corruption commission team seized evidence worth Rp. 17.5 billion. The details are 7 units of cars, 15 units of motorcycles, 11 units of bicycles, balances in bank accounts and crypto asset accounts, as well as a number of foreign currencies.
Then, the KPK also seized several units of bicycles; 4 large motor units, three of which are Harley-Davidson; 2 red and silver Porsche 911 cars; and 5 vespa matic motorcycles from Silmy Karim's house in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta on Friday, June 5. All of these items were taken to the State Seized Property Storage House (Rupbasan) Cawang, East Jakarta.
Silmy is said to have received money from the extortion of the management of residence permits for foreign nationals (WNA) since the Director General of Immigration for the period 2023-2024. He even continued to receive it even though he had been sworn in as Deputy Minister of Immigration and Corrections (Imipas).
The receipt made by Silmy was worth Rp. 100 million per week. As a result of his actions, he and seven other suspects were suspected of violating Article 12 letter e and/or Article 12B of Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning the Eradication of Corruption Crimes as amended by Law Number 20 of 2001 concerning the Eradication of Corruption Crimes Jo. Article 20 letter c of Law No. 1 of 2023 concerning the Criminal Code.