KPK Suspects Money in Silmy Karim's Office Comes from Immigration Office Deposit

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) suspects that the money seized by investigators from the former Deputy Minister (Wamen) of Immigration and Corrections (Imipas) Silmy Karim is the result of deposits from a number of immigration offices.

This was conveyed by the acting (Plt) Director of KPK Investigation Achmad Taufik Husein when asked about the findings of the money. Although he did not specify the amount, he ensured that the origin of the money would be investigated.

Meanwhile, Silmy is currently a suspect along with seven other people in the extortion case related to the management of residence permits for foreign nationals (WNA) in the Immigration Ministry environment.

"Yes, (the alleged money came from the deposit of a number of immigration offices, ed) it is being investigated by the investigation team," said Taufik when confirmed via an SMS, Tuesday, June 30.

Similarly, KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo said the money in Silmy Karim's room was allegedly related to immigration affairs.

"A number of money found during the search in the room of SK's brother is suspected to be related to the money collected in the process of providing immigration services carried out at the Directorate General of Immigration," Budi said in a separate statement.

The KPK ensured that investigators would investigate the money. "What is the mechanism for collecting and distributing so that the money can then be accepted by SK's brother," said Budi.

"Is it received from the head of the immigration office or kakanim or is it indeed an immigration service that exists in the center. Because if we look at the SOP or mechanism in handling an immigration document, there is indeed a process carried out in the region, there is also a process carried out in the center. "

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 the 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 the 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. Residence Permit Staff Gusti Benardiansyah.

During the silent operation, the KPK 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 Eradication of Corruption Crimes as amended by Law Number 20 of 2001 concerning Eradication of Corruption Crimes Jo. Article 20 letter c of Law No. 1 of 2023 concerning the Criminal Code.