Kazakhstan’s Asset Return Commission Expands Scope: New Individuals Under Consideration

ASTANA – A Jan. 26 meeting of the Commission on the return of illegally acquired assets, chaired by Kazakh Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov, convened to discuss the potential inclusion of new individuals in the registry, initiating verification procedures for them, reported the Prime Minister’s press service.

Alikhan Smailov chairs meeting of the Commission on the return of illegally acquired assets. Photo credit: primeminister.kz.

The commission spoke about the plans to enter into procedural agreements with some persons previously included in the register, facilitating the acknowledgment of guilt and the voluntary return of illegally acquired assets.

Additionally, claims will be filed to force the transfer of assets of unexplained origin, belonging to individuals and their affiliates listed in the register, to state income.

The Prime Minister emphasized that President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s decision to return illegally acquired assets is a continuation of building a Just and Fair Kazakhstan.

Over the past two years, assets worth about one trillion tenge (US$2.2 billion) were returned to the country. The commission identified 344 objects of movable and immovable property, including 131 located abroad, and acquired information on securities worth 448 billion tenge ($994.6 million).

Bank transactions valued at 220 trillion tenge ($488.4 billion) and suspicious transactions worth 1.4 trillion tenge ($3.1 billion) are currently being analyzed.


Get The Astana Times stories sent directly to you! Sign up via the website or subscribe to our Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Telegram, YouTube and Tiktok!