Multibillion-tenge apartment sale scam uncovered in Astana

Tengrinews.kz – A large-scale fraud scheme involving the sale of real estate in the Qyran residential complex has been uncovered in Astana, according to the Agency for Financial Monitoring (AFM).
How the scheme worked
According to the AFM, in the sales office, potential clients were shown layouts, technical passports, powers of attorney, and other documents, creating the impression of legitimate transactions on behalf of the developer.
Buyers were offered apartments, commercial premises, and parking spaces at prices below market value and were assured that all paperwork complied with legal requirements.
However, instead of signing purchase agreements, the suspects signed reservation contracts, deposit agreements, and preliminary agreements with the clients. These documents were not subject to state registration and did not confer ownership rights.
Victims made payments in cash or through transfers to the personal accounts of the scheme's participants. Meanwhile, the company’s accounting system did not record these transactions.
According to the AFM, the financial damage to citizens exceeded 3.8 billion tenge.
Second scheme: damage to the company itself
Investigators found that the suspects used another scheme—this time to steal funds from the construction company.
Acting on behalf of the company, they signed fake purchase agreements with clients and registered ownership rights. However, the money from the sale of these properties never entered the company’s accounts.
In total, from the sale of 76 properties, the participants stole 4.1 billion tenge.
The combined damage to citizens and the company amounted to 7.9 billion tenge.
Property seizures and arrests
By court order, the following were seized:

94 apartments,51 parking spaces,8 commercial units,and one vehicle.

Three suspects have been placed under arrest as a pre-trial detention measure.
No further information is being disclosed in accordance with Article 201 of the Criminal Procedure Code.