On the site OLX.kz, an ad for the sale of Lake Krivoye recently appeared, covering 124 hectares, located near Petropavlovsk, for 5.5 million tenge. Upon detailed analysis of this offer, the editorial team of FBRK managed to uncover interesting details about the actual subject of the transaction and the people behind it.
The advertisement presents the body of water as an ideal business asset, describing its advantages.
"A unique lake in the Kyzylzhar district, 50 km from Petropavlovsk, with convenient access for tourists and clients. Depth 2-2.5 m – a ready-made solution for fish farming or organising paid fishing. 100% share in an LLP with all documents in order", states the ad text.
The seller offers potential buyers several options for using the asset: opening an eco-campsite or a fishing base for businesspeople, purchasing a liquid asset for investors, or creating a personal "place of power" with earning potential for enthusiast anglers. 
However, after our editorial team contacted the number listed in the ad, the true nature of the offer was revealed. In fact, what is being sold is not the lake itself, but a company that holds the right to temporary paid long-term land use (for 49 years) of part of the shoreline.
According to the Getcontact service, the phone number in the ad belongs to Kazakhstani statesman Aman Turegeldin.
In his career, Turegeldin has held a number of high-ranking positions. From 2013 to 2017, he was the akim of the Ualikhanov district in the North Kazakhstan Region. Later, he headed the North Kazakhstan Department of State Property and Privatisation of the Ministry of Finance. At the time of publication, since July 2023, he has been heading the Centre for Labour Mobility in the North Kazakhstan Region.
According to the seller, the lakeside territory belongs to LLP "Azgi-Sport". According to data from Kompra.kz, the company is engaged in retail trade of clothing. The owner of this company is Turegeldina Anar Yersainovna, presumably the spouse of Aman Turegeldin. Their possible connection is indirectly confirmed by the fact that the contact phone numbers differ by just one digit.
We also managed to find out that a Kokshetau entrepreneur, Yerbol Salimzhanovich Urazbayev, who is another contact person for LLP "Azgi-Sport", is involved in this business scheme.
As for the legal status of the object, the plot of the shoreline of Lake Krivoye belongs to agricultural land with the designated purpose of running a peasant farm.
According to data from the USRCE, the territory covering 681 hectares is pledged as collateral, and the list of interested parties includes JSC "Agrarian Credit Corporation", its branch in the North Kazakhstan Region, and LLP "Credit Partnership 'Yesil'".
Thus, under the guise of selling the lake, what is actually being offered is the acquisition of a business structure with rights to use part of the shoreline. This raises a legitimate question about the legality of such a transaction, especially given Aman Turegeldin's status as a civil servant.
In accordance with the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan, civil servants are prohibited from engaging in entrepreneurial activities. However, in this case, it concerns the sale of a share in an LLP, presumably registered in the name of the official's spouse, which formally may not contradict the letter of the law, but raises questions from the standpoint of ethics and compliance with anti-corruption legislation.
At the same time, water bodies are state property, and the use of shoreline territories must comply with the designated purpose of the land and environmental requirements.
This situation shows that public advertisements often do not reveal the full legal picture of the transaction. Potential buyers should carefully check the legal status of the objects and the ties of the sellers to legal entities before purchasing.
Furthermore, this case clearly demonstrates how an attractive marketing offer can conceal a complex business scheme involving high-ranking officials and affiliated persons.