In Almaty, the investigation into the creation of a financial pyramid under the name «NBC TV» has been completed. The criminal case has been sent to court, and the suspect is under a written undertaking not to leave the place of residence.
HOW THE SCHEME OPERATED
According to the Agency for Financial Monitoring (AFM), in 2025 the suspect organised an online project that was positioned as an investment platform. Participants were recruited through the website www․nbcms․com, as well as via messengers, including WhatsApp.
Thematic chat groups, such as «NBC Charlotte Discussion Group» and «NBCUniversal Media LLC», contained over 200 citizens. Participants were offered to invest funds supposedly to generate income from watching short video clips — film trailers.
INVESTMENT TERMS AND PROMISED RETURNS
To participate, it was necessary to purchase investment packages costing from 11,000 to 160,000 tenge. The stated return reached 5–10% per day (over 150% per month).
As clarified, payments were ensured solely through receipts from new depositors. Additionally, a referral system was in place: participants were promised up to 10% of the investments made by invited individuals, as well as bonuses for subsequent levels of recruitment.
HOW THE APPEARANCE OF LEGITIMACY WAS CREATED
Social networks and messengers were used to promote the project. The organisers published fictitious documents, displayed supposedly earned incomes, recruited bloggers, and administered thematic chat groups.
Funds were received into accounts of individuals. The money was then converted into cryptocurrency via P2P transactions and sent to anonymous wallets.
ASSET SEIZURE AND CASE STATUS
By court order, Tether cryptocurrency worth approximately $1.06 million, equivalent to 528.5 million tenge, has been seized.
A preventive measure in the form of a written undertaking not to leave the place of residence and to maintain proper conduct has been applied to the suspect. The criminal case has been sent to court.
Other information is not subject to disclosure in accordance with Article 201 of the Criminal Procedure Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CITIZENS
The AFM recommends thoroughly checking information about projects before investing, including their registration, legal status of activities, and relevant permits. Citizens are also advised to assess the risks and the reliability of the stated returns.
Such schemes often use promises of high profits for minimal effort, which can create a false sense of easy earnings.