Develop the Case of Extortion of Foreigner's Residence Permit, KPK Targets the Alleged Money Laundering of Silmy Karim et al

Acting Director of KPK Investigation Achmad Taufik Husein (Tsa Tsia/VOI)

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has begun to compile the construction of alleged money laundering (TPPU) in the development of the case of alleged extortion of the management of residence permits for foreign nationals (WNA) in the Immigration and Correction Ministry (Kemenimipas).

Acting Director of KPK Investigation Achmad Taufik Husein said that the construction of the alleged money laundering was not only targeting the former Deputy Minister of Imipas Silmy Karim, but also seven other suspects. Assets that have been confiscated are ammunition for investigators to investigate.

"Several teams have confiscated assets of the suspects, because there are so many. For immigration cases, there are eight suspects, and each of them has confiscated assets from each of the suspects," Taufik told reporters at the KPK's Red and White building, Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta, quoted Wednesday, July 22.

"And it is also being developed, constructed for the TPPU case," he continued.

Taufik also said that his party also calculated the possibility that the TPPU investigation would be carried out in parallel with the main case of alleged corruption. So, the two could be referred to court at the same time.

"Will it be possible for the TPPU sprindik to go up together and will be distributed simultaneously with the corruption criminal process, because this is already underway, the detention has its limits, yes," he said.

As for the KPK, it has seized various assets suspected of originating from the results of criminal acts of corruption. From Silmy Karim, the KPK seized two Porsche cars, 10 two-wheeled vehicles ranging from Vespas, big motorcycles to Harley-Davidson, seven bicycles, a number of jewelry, and cash in rupiah and foreign currencies, including the United States dollar (USD), euro (EUR), and Japanese yen.

Meanwhile, from the suspect Jaya Saputra, investigators seized an account balance of around IDR 2.2 billion, three land ownership certificates in Jakarta, three cars, five motorcycles, and two bicycles.

From Gusti Bernadiansyah, the KPK seized four crypto asset accounts worth around IDR 1.2 billion, four cars, one towing truck, seven motorcycles, one bundle of BPKB two-wheeled vehicles, eight bicycles, and gold weighing 500 grams.

Meanwhile, from Ronald Amran Abdullah, investigators seized the balance of the account, 18 gold pieces with a total weight of 200 grams, cash USD14,500, 10 thousand Singapore dollars, 30 Saudi riyals, one car BPKB, two motorcycle BPKB, and one diamond ring jewelry certificate.

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.

Silmy is said to have received money from 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.