For dozens of families in Astana, the issue of purchased housing remains unresolved after the completion of the pre-trial investigation into the case of the Qyran residential complex. According to the investigation, the management of the developer company sold the same apartments to multiple buyers, and the criminal case has already been sent to court.
WHAT IS KNOWN ABOUT THE CASE
According to the television channel 24KZ, 51 individuals and one legal entity have been recognised as victims in the criminal case. The total damage, according to the investigation, exceeds 4.5 billion tenge.
As reported by the Department of Economic Investigations (DEI), the management of LLP «International Invest Company IIC» sold the same apartments to different buyers over the course of two years. The accused are currently in custody, the pre-trial investigation has been completed, the indictment has been approved by the prosecutor's office of Astana, and the criminal case has been sent to the Inter-District Criminal Court of Astana for consideration on its merits.
HOW THE BUYERS WERE AFFECTED
One of the victims, a resident of Astana, Samat Malikov, said that his family purchased an apartment in 2024, completed the transaction, obtained information confirming no encumbrances through eGov, and registered ownership.
"We moved in and had a housewarming party. Then in the autumn of 2025, we faced the problem of the apartment being seized," said Samat Malikov.
According to another victim, Ainagul Bakirova, on 10 January 2025, she purchased three apartments, paying for them in cash at the company's office. After handing over the money, she received deposit agreements and payment documents, and was also presented with documents for construction and the commissioning of the building.
WHAT THE DEFENDANTS ARE CHARGED WITH
As reported by the DEI, 4 people have been brought to criminal responsibility. According to the investigation, contracts were signed and funds were handed over at the company's office in the presence of the defendants.
The investigation also claims that the money went into the accounts of the accused, but the accounting and banking documents contained no information about who actually owned these funds. According to law enforcement, this scheme allowed for tax evasion.
The defendants are charged under paragraph 2 of part 4 of Article 189 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan ("Misappropriation or embezzlement of entrusted property on an especially large scale"), paragraph 2 of part 4 of Article 190 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan ("Fraud on an especially large scale"), and part 1 of Article 399 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan ("Arbitrariness").
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
According to information from the prosecutor's office of Astana, if a guilty verdict is handed down, the defendants could face imprisonment for a term of 5 to 12 years.
The final decision on the fate of the seized apartments will be made by the court. The case materials do not specify how ownership rights to the disputed properties will be determined. According to the victims, many fear that they will have to defend their rights to the housing through civil proceedings.
