The head of the Yelge Komek charitable foundation, Ilyas Sariyev, has been detained in Almaty.
According to Zakon.kz, this information appeared on social media. It is reported that several people contacted the police, claiming that the money collected by the foundation to help those in need was misappropriated.
The Almaty Police Department commented on the situation.
"A criminal case has been opened on the grounds of fraud by the police department of the Almaly District Police Department. A range of investigative measures are being carried out aimed at a comprehensive and objective investigation. Based on the results, a procedural decision will be made," the department reported.
It is worth noting that the foundation's Instagram page, "Yelge Komek," has around 400,000 followers.
Recall that in November last year, it became known that the AFM (Agency for Financial Monitoring) was conducting an investigation into volunteer movement activist and founder of the public charitable foundation "Biz Birgemiz Qazaqstan", Perizat Kairat. It was reported that she was suspected of embezzling 1.7 billion tenge.
In December, the court seized the suspect's elite real estate, cars, electronics, clothing, footwear, jewellery, as well as handbags from global brands.
In February of this year, Deputy Chairman of the AFM, Zhenis Yelemesov, announced that 100 volumes had been compiled in the case of Perizat Kairat. Furthermore, it was noted that her mother, Gaini Alashbayeva, is suspected of being complicit in fraud and the legalisation of criminally obtained money. A criminal case has been opened against Alashbayeva.
Later, details of a new pre-trial investigation regarding Perizat Kairat became known. It was reported that this latest episode involves fraud in the collection of money for the construction of a rehabilitation centre for disabled children.
Subsequently, a lawsuit was filed with the specialised inter-district economic court of Astana seeking the forced liquidation of the charitable foundation "Biz Birgemiz Qazaqstan". The basis for filing was a letter from the Agency for Financial Monitoring (AFM) initiating the procedure to revoke the foundation's registration due to violations committed during its creation. After this, the foundation was liquidated.