A trial has begun in Astana in the case of Daulet and Tolkyn Totakanova. The couple is accused of fraud and money laundering of funds collected under the pretext of treating their son, who has had serious health problems since birth.
According to the Telegram channel "Kozachkov offside", over four years the Totakanovs collected more than 1.3 billion tenge from 350,000 people. The money was initially intended for an operation in Turkey costing 50 million tenge. After collecting the required amount, the couple continued to actively promote the child's Instagram account, increasing the flow of donations.
It is reported that just over 6 million tenge was spent on the boy's treatment, around 300–400 million tenge went on advertising, and the remaining funds were used by the couple to buy property, cars, foreign trips and gambling.
The case has been brought to court; the spouses are charged with fraud and money laundering.
Meanwhile, Zakon.kz reports that this information was confirmed by the press service of the capital's court.
"The Totakanov spouses, between 2020 and 2024, through an Instagram account (@altair_tota), using emotional appeals and false information about their child's illness, organised a collection of donations supposedly for his treatment. At the same time, a significant portion of the funds (over 1.3 billion tenge) was spent on personal needs – gambling, designer clothing, trips, etc." – the court reported.
It has become known that accounts belonging to Tolkyn Totakanova, her mother, and her incapacitated grandmother, who died in 2021, were used to transfer the funds.
Recall, in November last year, the AFM launched an investigation into activist and founder of the "Biz Birgemiz Qazaqstan" fund, Perizat Kairat, on suspicion of embezzling 1.7 billion tenge. In December, the court seized her property.
In February, it became known about 100 volumes of the case file and the initiation of a criminal case against the suspect's mother — Gaini Alashbayeva — for complicity in fraud. According to the prosecution, of the 2.08 billion tenge collected to help flood victims, only 920 million was directed to charity; the remaining 1.9 billion was used for personal needs.
The "Biz Birgemiz Qazaqstan" fund was liquidated on the initiative of the AFM. Both defendants plead not guilty. State prosecutors have requested 10 years' imprisonment for Perizat Kairat and 8 years for her mother.