Immigration: US Marshals Fugitives Escape To Indonesia Due To Cheap Living Costs

The Directorate General of Immigration at the Ministry of Imipas held a press conference to arrest the fugitive US Marshals in Jakarta, Thursday (9/1/2025). ANTARA/Agatha Olivia Victoria

The Directorate General (Ditjen) of Immigration of the Ministry of Immigration and Corrections (Imipas) revealed that TJC, a United States (US) fugitive citizen for the United States (US) Marshals case of sexual exploitation, child exploitation efforts, and possession of child pornography fled to Indonesia because of low cost of living.

Before being arrested on December 30, 2024 in Indonesia, said the Director of Immigration Supervision and Enforcement at the Directorate General of Immigration at the Ministry of Immigration, Kombes Yuldi Yusman, TJC had entered Indonesia twice and had also fled to Malaysia.

"Malaysia and Indonesia's lives are very small, ranging from prices for hotel or residential costs and the cost of daily life is not too high, so Indonesia is stillsimilar to Malaysia," said Kombes Yuldi, Thursday, January 9.

This reason was obtained from an in-depth interview with TJC which entered Indonesian territory on December 4, 2024 before being arrested.

TJC has entered Indonesia twice. However, at that time there was no coordination regarding the request from the US Marshals for arrest.

In addition, he said, TJC is also not a subject of red notice (requests to law enforcers around the world to seek and arrest someone while waiting for extradition, surrender, or similar legal action) or to be included in the international wanted list (DPO).

When the US government officially asks for TJC denomination, then the Directorate General of Immigration of the Republic of Indonesia puts the fugitive on the preventive list.

"Because on the preventive list it has been entered, when he was approached for extension, he was exposed to his residence there," he said.

TJC faces charges of several serious crimes, namely sexual exploitation and attempted sexual exploitation of minors, who violated Article 18 of the United Status Code (USC), Chapters 2251 (a) and 2251 (e).

The action includes the production of child sexual exploitation material. In addition, TJC is also charged with possession of child pornography, which violates Article 18 USC, which involves storage or has explicit images of minors with the intention of being distributed or private consumption.

The various actions put TJC in legal proceedings under the jurisdiction of the Southern District Court of Iowa, USA.

TJC entered Indonesian territory on December 4, 2024. On December 18, 2024, the Directorate General of Immigration received information from the US Embassy that the TJC passport had been revoked so that its status was invalid.

This was confirmed through the US Embassy letter Number JAK.OCI.24,075, which became the basis for the Directorate General of Immigration to issue a prevention and pre-investigation order.