Multi-million financial scam pulled off by Astana residents

Tengrinews.kz - The capital's inter-district criminal court announced the verdict against two women. The first was accused of creating and managing a financial (investment) pyramid scheme involving money on an especially large scale, the second – of aiding and abetting, as well as laundering funds obtained by criminal means, according to the court's press service.
As reported in court, from September 2021 to July 2023, defendant B., in a group of persons, by prior conspiracy, together with M., created and managed a financial pyramid.

"The functioning of the financial pyramid was ensured by the redistribution of investors' money, who transferred it in cash or transferred it to accounts specified by the defendants in favor of those individuals who had invested the funds earlier," the publication says.

Defendant B. attracted funds from 40 individuals for a total amount of over 715 million tenge, her accomplice helped attract money from 38 individuals in the amount of 284.5 million tenge, which is an especially large amount. In addition, M. legalized the money received from the financial pyramid by purchasing an apartment and a parking space.
The defendants' guilt was proven by the testimony of the victims, witnesses, expert opinions and the materials of the criminal case. As a mitigating circumstance, the court took into account the fact that they had young children. No aggravating circumstances were established.
As a result, B. will go to prison for 6 years, her accomplice was given 5 years. In addition, they were deprived of the right to engage in activities related to attracting money from citizens and investments for 7 years. The court also satisfied the civil claims and confiscated the property acquired with criminally obtained funds, transferring it to the victims as compensation for damages. The sentence did not enter into legal force.
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