The Financial Monitoring Agency (FMA) has returned 100% of the shares of JSC «Tarazenergocentre» to state ownership. The basis for this decision was the completion of an investigation into a major theft of public funds, reports the press service of the agency.
During the investigation, it was established that the perpetrators had organised a criminal group with the aim of obtaining an illegal monopolistically high income. Through a company under their control, they stole 4.3 billion tenge, after which they laundered the money using a network of shell companies.
Following the trial, eight participants in the scheme were found guilty and received actual prison sentences ranging from 3 to 13 years, depending on the degree of their involvement.
It will be recalled that last June, the Minister of Energy, Almassadam Satkaliyev, reported on delays in the repair of thermal power plants in several regions. Among the problematic facilities, he named JSC «Tarazenergocentre» TPP-4, which was struggling to prepare for the heating season due to failure to meet deadlines for starting repairs of the main equipment.