A verdict has been handed down in a court in Astana in a case involving a large-scale fraud totalling more than 1 billion tenge.
According to the press service of the city prosecutor’s office, two women, posing as participants in government programmes, orchestrated a deceptive scheme.
They rented an office, used the details of an existing limited liability partnership, and entered into fictitious contracts. Victims were promised subsidised housing in Astana and Almaty, as well as loans and credit on favourable terms. According to the investigation, 150 citizens ultimately lost more than 1 billion tenge.
The court sentenced each of the defendants to 6 years and 8 months in prison, with a ban on holding managerial or financially responsible positions for 5 years. When handing down the verdict, the court took into account that they had young children and had partially compensated for the damage. Material damages were recovered in favour of the victims.
The verdict has entered into force. The capital’s prosecutor’s office reminded the public of the need to verify the credentials of individuals offering services in lending and housing acquisition.
It will be recalled that a resident of Astana previously became a defendant in a case involving 10 counts of fraud with damages totalling over 50 million tenge.