The Financial Monitoring Agency (FMA) has launched an investigation into the illegal acquisition of apartments intended for socially vulnerable groups of the population — large families, orphans, and persons with disabilities.
According to the agency's press office, between 2014 and 2016, the chairman of the housing construction cooperative ‘Tolendi’, A. Baizhumanov, organised a large-scale scheme to embezzle shareholders' funds. He was convicted of these crimes and sentenced to eight years in prison.
After this, the completion of the buildings' construction was ensured by the Akimat of Astana. Some of the residential premises in these buildings were intended for provision to citizens from socially vulnerable categories.
However, after his release from prison, Baizhumanov devised a new illegal scheme. It involved the unlawful acquisition of apartments through the use of forged documents, backdated to appear legitimate.
As a result, more than 80 so-called ‘pseudo-shareholders’ were recognised as victims and illegally obtained ownership rights to 170 properties from the authorised organisation.
The investigation established that, after receiving the apartments free of charge, Baizhumanov and his accomplices planned to sell them on to third parties.
Thus, law enforcement officers prevented an attempt to illegally appropriate housing to a total value of over 2.3 billion tenge.
The court has imposed a custodial measure of restraint on the suspects. The investigation is ongoing.
It will be recalled that earlier in the village of Presnovka, Zhambyl District of the North Kazakhstan Region, orphans, large families, and families raising children with disabilities were moved into housing built a year ago.
However, according to the new residents, living in these houses proved almost impossible. The occupants reported that the buildings are freezing through: walls are cracking, wind blows in through the seams, and windows and doors are covered with ice.