The Anti-Corruption Service is conducting an investigation into the general director of Bolashak Consulting Group LLP, Sagidolla Baimurat.
This is reported by the Telegram channel «Nege Aqsha», citing a court document.
«The Supreme Audit Chamber conducted an inspection at the Ministry of Justice and a cross-check of the company. The audit report is currently classified, and the materials have been seized as part of a criminal case», the statement reads.
It is noted that the consulting group 'Bolashak' represented Kazakhstan's interests abroad, including in the case against Moldovan businessmen Gabriel and Anatol Stati. It is reported that the leader of the 'Ak Zhol' party, Azat Peruashev, stated that the company received up to $60 million per year.
Incidentally, the media link the 'Bolashak' consulting group to former Minister of Justice Marat Beketayev and former Akim of Almaty Bauyrzhan Baibek, who allegedly was a founder of the LLP from 15 November 2013 to 20 March 2014.
Last October, the Anti-Corruption Service detained Marat Beketayev. It is reported that he and the heads of a certain private company are suspected of embezzling budget funds on an especially large scale, fraud, and illegal participation in entrepreneurial activities. The damage exceeded 1 billion tenge.
Recall, the editorial team of FBRK has been monitoring the situation surrounding the case of the Moldovan oligarchs Gabriel and Anatol Stati and announced the outcomes of the past court hearings.
Kazakhstan's legal battles with the Stati family were coordinated by former Minister of Justice Marat Beketayev and the 'Bolashak' consulting group.
The legal defence strategy required Kazakh taxpayers to fund accounts to the tune of tens of millions of dollars annually in order to delay the payment of compensation awarded to the Stati businessmen by the court.
Thus, in various years, the Ministry of Justice spent between 22% and 48% of its budget on litigation against the Stati family. For instance, in 2014, the total expenditure of the Ministry of Justice was $173 million, which was the highest figure for the department in the last 10 years. Arbitration costs from this amount totalled $38.9 million (22% of the Ministry's total expenditure).
The most money spent on arbitration courts against the Stati family was in 2021 - $60.3 million, or 48% of the Ministry's total expenditure ($125.2 million).
Later, the Ministry of Justice ended its cooperation with the Bolashak company. It was also reported that the department intends to create a group of trusted lawyers and experts from among domestic specialists to protect the country's interests abroad.