Kazakhstan's anti-corruption agency announced on Wednesday (November 2) the seizure of precious stones and jewelry worth more than 230 million US dollars, as part of a case involving in particular the nephew of the former President Nursultan Nazarbayev.
"
Following search operations in foreign countries, precious stones and jewelry worth more than 230 million US dollars were seized and returned to the state
," the agency said in a statement. communicated.
This seizure comes within the framework of a new investigation carried out against the businessman Kaïrat Satybaldy - nephew of the ex-president Nursultan Nazarbayev in power for three decades until 2019 - specified the anti-corruption agency to AFP.
Kaïrat Satybaldy, the first member of the Nazarbayev family to be arrested, was arrested
in March and charged with embezzlement from Kazakhtelecom - the national telecommunications operator - and "
other crimes undermining state security
". was already sentenced in September to six years in prison.
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According to the anti-corruption agency, “
300 million dollars invested by K. Satybaldy in foreign securities will soon be included in the budget of Kazakhstan
”, a vast country in Central Asia rich in hydrocarbons.
Last January, more than 230 people were killed during riots whose causes are still mysterious.
Current President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev had estimated that they were the result of a plot fomented abroad by "
terrorists
" wanting to take power, without ever providing any evidence to this effect.
Tokaev, a candidate for re-election on November 20, has since undertaken to strengthen his position and weaken that of his authoritarian predecessor.
The capital Astana, renamed in honor of Mr. Nazarbayev, notably regained its name in September.