(11 February 2026 | Source: Kursiv.kz)
Blogger and journalist Askhat Niyazov has been held administratively liable for promoting shared-equity construction projects which, according to the investigation, were being built without the necessary permits. The violation was classified as a breach of advertising legislation. Niyazov himself confirmed that he paid the fine within the first seven days after the ruling was issued.
WHAT THE FINE WAS FOR
As reported by Kursiv, citing the Financial Monitoring Agency (FMA), Niyazov was involved in promoting illegal shared-equity construction projects. The agency noted that the journalist had not checked the permit documentation or the legal status of the construction.
In the published video materials, the complexes were presented as legal and reliable, which, according to the FMA, could have misled potential investors.
Niyazov was charged under paragraph 8, part 2 of Article 455 of the Administrative Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan ("Violation of the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan on advertising"). The FMA confirmed that the imposed fine of 137,000 tenge had been paid in full.
Earlier, information circulated online that the blogger could have received 6 million tenge for the advertising. However, these figures were not confirmed in the official statements of the Financial Monitoring Agency, and Niyazov himself did not specify the amount of remuneration.
WHAT IS KNOWN ABOUT THE DEVELOPER
As journalists note, the FMA reported that the investigation into the leadership of the developer and affiliated structures had been concluded. Over the course of two years, they built housing without the necessary permits.
Through advertising, apartments were offered at prices below market value with interest-free instalment plans. The total amount of funds raised from 64 equity holders exceeded 1 billion tenge.
WHICH PROPERTY IS IN QUESTION
The property in question is the Irtysh Riverside residential complex in Semey, which was being constructed by the company DALA SK Construction. In 2024, Niyazov released a commercial video report from the construction site.
After the public backlash, the blogger apologised and stated that he was looking for a new investor to complete the construction.
The editorial board of the FBRK urges participants in the advertising market and the public to be more diligent in checking the legal status of real estate properties and permit documentation before placing or disseminating advertisements. Checking public data and official registers helps reduce risks for citizens and businesses.