Jakarta. The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on Thursday revealed a suspected large-scale extortion scheme targeting foreign nationals at the Immigration and Corrections Ministry, marking the second major case in two years involving state officials allegedly exploiting foreigners seeking permits to live and work in Indonesia.

The latest case centers on senior immigration officials, including Deputy Immigration Minister Silmy Karim, who has been named a suspect in the investigation.

Silmy surrendered to the KPK on Wednesday night, while seven other immigration officials were arrested in a series of operations earlier this week.

Investigators allege that over the past five years, the suspects collected at least Rp 145.5 billion ($8 million) by imposing illicit charges on foreign nationals seeking residency permits in Indonesia.

“The money was distributed every Friday to individuals within the Immigration Directorate. One of them, identified as SK, received a regular allocation of Rp 100 million per week,” KPK Chairman Setyo Budiyanto said at a news conference on Thursday, referring to Silmy.

“Between 2022 and 2026, officials within the Directorate General of Immigration received funds either directly or through layered transactions totaling at least Rp 145.5 billion,” he added.

According to investigators, members of the alleged scheme used coded language to conceal the flow of funds. Senior officials receiving payments were allegedly referred to as “angels,” while other recipients were identified through terms such as “band” or “singer” payments.

Setyo said the KPK’s investigation, conducted in cooperation with the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center, uncovered an even larger pool of suspicious transactions linked to immigration services, including visas, passports, foreign worker permits, and residency applications.

The total value of those transactions reached Rp 357 billion ($19.8 million), he said.

The case bears similarities to a corruption scandal uncovered by the KPK last year at the Manpower Ministry, where foreign nationals applying for work permits were forced to pay illegal fees or risk having their applications delayed or denied.

According to Setyo, news of last year’s investigation triggered concern among officials involved in the immigration scheme.

Silmy and his associates panicked and quickly withdrew part of the funds and converted them into gold, which was later used to purchase residential properties, Setyo said.

In the Manpower Ministry case, eight current and former officials were found guilty of extorting foreign work permit applicants between 2017 and 2025 --  collecting a total of Rp 135.29 billion -- and were sentenced to prison terms ranging from four to seven-and-a-half years.

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