A former deputy of the maslikhat of Karasai district, Almaty region, is suspected of fraud and legalising criminal proceeds.
According to the press service of the Agency for Financial Monitoring (AFM), to illegally obtain subsidies, the suspect submitted fake documents to the agriculture department regarding the purchase of elite raspberry seedlings of the 'Nagrada' variety worth 947 million tenge.
As a result, he received subsidies amounting to 474 million tenge — 50% of the alleged amount spent.
It is believed that to launder the proceeds, the former deputy entered into fictitious contracts with 21 individual entrepreneurs (IEs) for packaging, loading, and unloading of seedlings, without the work actually being carried out.
"Furthermore, with the aim of bringing the stolen funds into legal circulation, he conducted securities transactions in his wife's name and additionally obtained criminal proceeds totalling 89 million tenge", the statement reads.
It is noted that the ex-deputy used the criminal proceeds to purchase a two-bedroom apartment in Almaty and a Toyota Highlander car.
"The specified property, as well as funds amounting to 50 million tenge and securities worth 91 million tenge, have been seized", the AFM reported.
Furthermore, it has come to light that the suspect lost 170 million tenge stolen from the state at a casino. By court order, he has been placed in custody for a period of 2 months.