President Kassym-Joomart Tokayev approved the new government of Kazakhstan under the leadership of Olzhas Bektenov. The names of the ministers were published on primeminister.kz.

Most of the ministers remained from the old government.

Four ministers were replaced: Nurlan Baibazarov was appointed Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of National Economy instead of Alibek Kuantyrov, Madi Takiyev became Minister of Finance instead of Erulan Zhamaubaev, Akmaral Alnazarova was appointed Minister of Healthcare instead of Azhar Giniyat, and Chingis Arinov became the new Minister for Emergency Situations instead of Syrym Shariphanov.

Members of the government who remained in their positions included First Deputy Prime Minister Roman Sklyar, Minister of Foreign Affairs Murat Nurtleu, Chief of Staff of the Government Galymzhan Koishybayev, Deputy Prime Minister Tamara Duisenova, Deputy Prime Minister Serik Zhumangarin, Minister of Defense Ruslan Zhaksylykov, Minister of Internal Affairs Yerzhan Sadenov, Minister of Justice Azamat Yeskarayev, Minister of Energy Almassadam Satkaliyev, Minister of Agriculture Aidarbek Saparov, Minister of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry Bagdat Mussin, Minister of Education Gani Beisembayev, Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Yerlan Nyssanbayev, Minister of Science and Higher Education Sayasat Nurbek, Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Nurzhan Nurzhigitov, Minister of Culture and Information Aida Balayeva, Minister of Tourism and Sports Yermek Marzhikpayev, Minister of Transport Marat Karabayev, Minister of Labour and Social Protection of the Population Svetlana Zhakupova, Minister of Industry and Construction Kanat Sharlapaev, and Minister of Trade and Integration Arman Shakkaliyev.

There are currently 26 members of the government. The composition was renewed for 16%. There are six deputy prime ministers left. 16% remained women.

President Kassym-Joomart Tokayev decided to resign the government of Kazakhstan on February 5. The duties of the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan were temporarily assigned to Roman Sklyar. The next day, the president said the government’s resignation was aimed at providing new impetus and meeting public expectations. In addition, the president promised that the new government will use new approaches.

The head of the Presidential Administration of Kazakhstan, Olzhas Bektenov, headed the government of Kazakhstan on February 6. His candidacy was proposed by the Amanat party, it was supported by the president, the majority of factions of political parties in the Parliament agreed to the appointment. Olzhas Bektenov replaced Alikhan Smailov, who had headed the Cabinet of Ministers since January 2022.

Source: Akipress

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When Kenes Rakishev embarked on the establishment of Oxus SPAC, a specialized entity aimed at acquiring and subsequently taking companies public on the American stock market, experts were filled with anticipation and conjecture regarding his targeted investments. Renowned for his diverse interests spanning robotics, battery technologies, communications, and groundbreaking concepts, Kenes Rakishev’s decision left everyone startled, as he delved into an exceedingly unforeseen realm: the food sector.

Kenes Rakishev, star investor, international entrepreneur, philanthropist and former special envoy of the Kazakhstan government, meets star chef, Gordon Ramsay and star manufacturer, Borealis Foods to change the international food market.

Kenes Rakishev executed a remarkable manoeuvrer by orchestrating the public offering of Borealis Foods. This particular enterprise had earned acclaim for its unwavering dedication to crafting ecologically responsible and pioneering merchandise. However, Rakishev’s aspirational strategies for continued expansion did not conclude there. To propel Borealis Foods towards uncharted pinnacles, he actively pursued an alliance with none other than the globally esteemed culinary virtuoso, Gordon Ramsay.

This unforeseen partnership serves as a testament to Kenes Rakishev’s strategic foresight and his readiness to navigate unexplored domains. The integration of Gordon Ramsay’s culinary mastery into the realm of Borealis Foods holds the potential to fuse innovation, sustainability, and epicurean brilliance in manners that could potentially redefine the landscape of the food industry.

Borealis Foods, a pioneering force in food technology innovations and the creative force behind beloved brands such as Chef Woo and Ramen Express, has made waves with its latest announcement: the enlistment of Gordon Ramsay, a world-renowned Michelin-starred chef and global business titan, as a consultant and esteemed brand ambassador.

The resonance of this partnership reverberates through the industry, as Reza Soltandez, the visionary founder and CEO of Borealis, expressed his excitement, stating: “With open arms, we welcome Gordon Ramsay as a strategic collaborator and advisor, infusing his culinary mastery, strategic acumen, and worldwide renown to propel us toward our ambitions.”

Soltandez underlines how Ramsay’s involvement is set to fortify their mission of tackling the intricate challenge of ensuring accessible, wholesome, protein-enriched meals for the many individuals navigating this issue in the United States and beyond.

Amidst this culinary excitement, Kenes Rakishev, a distinguished Kazakhstani entrepreneur with a remarkable track record of investing in high-tech startups, emerges as a pivotal figure. His establishment of Oxus Acquisition Corp. marks a new epoch for Borealis Foods. By the culmination of February, the strides made by Oxus Acquisition Corp. culminated in a transformative business consolidation accord. The aftermath of this deal will see the combined entity retaining the revered title of Borealis Foods Inc. Leading the company post-transaction, a dynamic duo will emerge—Reza Soltandez, the CEO and co-founder of Borealis, along with the astute Barthélémy Helg, Chairman and co-founder.

The strategic significance of this agreement, valued at an impressive $150 million, was endorsed by both the governing bodies of Borealis and Oxus. As this conglomerate embarks on a new trajectory, the industry waits in anticipation to witness the confluence of culinary innovation, cutting-edge technology, and astute business acumen that this union is poised to deliver.

Gordon Ramsay shared his thoughts on the collaboration, remarking, “Amidst the ongoing challenges posed by escalating living costs and the global surge in food prices, the matter of food security takes on greater urgency. My conversations with Reza illuminated our shared perspective on the significance of furnishing accessible, nourishing, and delectable offerings. With a tapestry of exciting concepts already brewing, I’m eagerly anticipating the collaboration with Borealis Foods’ team, especially in enhancing their Chef Woo range in the forthcoming months.”

Chef Woo Ramen: A Journey of Nutritional Accessibility

Chef Woo Ramen, a brainchild of Borealis Foods’ subsidiary Palmetto Gourmet Foods, was conceived with the noble mission of rendering wholesome, budget-friendly, and convenient meals to those who grapple with limited nutritional access. Boasting the distinction of being the world’s inaugural plant-based ramen noodles, Chef Woo Ramen delivers a substantial 20 grams of complete protein per portion.

Borealis Foods Inc. remains steadfastly devoted to the development of exceptionally nutritious and pragmatic culinary innovations that are economically viable and ecologically responsible. This steadfast commitment resonates harmoniously with Borealis Foods’ overarching objectives, which are poised to leave a positive imprint on both human lives and the ecosystem.

This strategic alliance with Gordon Ramsay is set to empower Borealis Foods Inc. to scale unparalleled heights and amplify its production capacities, all the while retaining its position as a trailblazing purveyor of premium-grade food products.

Borealis Foods and the trailblazing Oxus Acquisition Corp. are charting their course towards becoming publicly-listed entities on Nasdaq, a milestone they anticipate achieving by the close of 2023.

Kenes Rakishev’s Involvement in Social Initiatives and Philanthropy

During the World Rapid Chess Championship in Astana back in 2012, Kenes Rakishev assumed a leadership role, and SAT & Company, under his guidance, took on the significant mantle of being the primary sponsor of the event. This endeavour marked a key moment in his commitment to community involvement.

In December 2014, he extended his influence by becoming the head of the development council for youth entrepreneurship at the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs of Kazakhstan. This strategic position allowed him to contribute to fostering the growth of young entrepreneurs in the country.

Beyond his business endeavours, Kenes Rakishev is a fervent advocate of the philanthropic foundation “Saby.” Co-founded by his spouse, Aselle Tasmagambetova, the foundation has undertaken a multifaceted approach to social betterment. Among its achievements are the provision of scholarships to gifted students within Kazakhstan, aiding over 300,000 individuals in accessing medical treatments, facilitating specially-equipped taxis for those with disabilities, and financing the construction of sports facilities, playgrounds, and gymnasiums.

Starting in 2013, the “Saby” foundation, with support from Kenes Rakishev and Vyacheslav Kim, has annually organized the “Build Your Business” competition for aspiring young entrepreneurs. The competition has proved transformative, granting financial assistance in the form of business development grants to winners. Over the initial five-year period, a total of 41 projects were awarded grants amounting to more than $1 million.

In 2017, the foundation achieved another milestone by financing the establishment of a private school named after Chokan Valikhanov in Almaty. This endeavour attracted investments surpassing 6 billion tenge, highlighting the substantial impact of Rakishev’s philanthropic vision.

In December 2018, Kenes Rakishev took on a pivotal role by assuming the position of Vice-President of the Kazakhstan Boxing Federation, overseeing international relations. Since 2019, he has held the position of President within the federation. In a remarkable achievement in 2021, the Kazakhstan women’s boxing team secured an impressive 8 out of 10 gold medals at the Asian Women’s Boxing Championship. In recognition of this triumph, Kenes Rakishev established an additional prize fund equivalent to the awards offered by AIBA, further enhancing the recognition and rewards for the champions and top performers of the championship. This move exemplified his commitment to uplifting sports and recognizing outstanding accomplishments within his country.

Source: Toinnov

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Source: Bizmedia

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Warsaw (21/08 – 60)

The amount of Russian oil to be piped through Kazakhstan to Uzbekistan in 2023 has been reduced to 180,000 tons, reported by the Head of the Transportation Department of Kazakhstan’s Kaztransoil pipeline monopoly.

In July, the company had announced an agreement to pump 300,000 tons of oil from Russia to Uzbekistan through Kazakhstan this year.

Kaztransoil reports Russian oil supplies in 2023 to Uzbekistan via Kazakhstan has been reduced to 180,000 tons. In July, the company had announced an agreement to pump 300,000 tons of oil from Russia to Uzbekistan through Kazakhstan this year.

Department Director, Abay Beisembaev commented that Kazakhstan had transported 48,500 tons of Russian oil to Uzbekistan in the first half of 2023 and a further 131,500 tons were planned in the second half of the year.

No reason was given for the reduction.

On February 1, Kaztransoil increased the tariff for the transportation of Russian raw materials through Kazakhstan to Uzbekistan to $27.9 per ton from $25.12 per ton.

Source

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Berlin, Warsaw (11/8 – 60)

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has yet to see an end. Russia has mobilized everything in its power to overcome Ukraine, including recruiting citizens of Kazakhstan to join its military forces. 

Russia lures Kazakh citizens through digital recruitment advertisements, recently prominent on a number of the country’s internet user pages. Several pop-up ads have started appearing on the internet pages of Kazakh residents, announcing openings for enlistment in the Russian army, with a joining-up bonus of more than USD 5,000. The advert cleverly targets the patriotic soft side of the Kazakhs, displaying flags of the two countries with the slogan “Shoulder to Shoulder”.

A one-time enlistment bonus payment of 495,000 rubles ($5,300) also promises a monthly salary of at least 190,000 rubles (or USD 2,000) and additional, unspecified benefits. Click on  the ad and you are redirected to a website offering potential recruits the opportunity to join the Russian Federation military, for service in the ultra-icy Sakhalin region of Russia.

The site names the “Resource Development Agency”, an organization established by local government in the Sakhalin region, as responsible for the offer. 

Any young buck tempted by this easy money should be aware that under Kazakhstan law it is illegal for a citizen to join any foreign military unit as a paid mercenary. However, the Minister of Information and Social Development of Kazakhstan has yet to comment on the advertisement.

Other ex-Soviet Central Asian country folk have told of the citizens of several partner countries have joined the Russian army or mercenary groups like Wagner. 

Kazakhstan is a former member of the Soviet Union (USSR), now an independent nation. It has traditionally stood as one of Moscow’s closest allies, and both the Soviet nuclear test program and their space program were sited in Kazakhstan.

It is important to note that Astana, capital and seat of Government, has never backed the Kremlin in its invasion of Ukraine; it has indeed frequently called for peace talks between the two countries.

Not only Kazakhstan is targeted for recruitment: Kyrgyz, Tajik, and Uzbek citizens are also of interest, given the sizable numbers who migrate each year to Russia in search of work – and the stark miserable condition of local economies – and their job prospects – back home. 

In the first quarter of 2023, 350,000 Tajik citizens migrated to Russia – 100,000 more than in the same period in 2022. More than 630,000 Uzbeks did the same, representing a 72 percent increase over the 366,000 that made the journey in 2022. Nearly 173,000 Kyrgyz nationals made the journey as well. 

Kazakhstan as a nation doing way better than its neighbors in the Central Asia. Its 2021 GDP stood at $197.1 billion, more than double that of Uzbekistan ($69.24 billion), and light-years ahead of Kyrgyzstan ($8.5 billion) or Tajikistan ($8.7 billion). There are fewer Kazakh migrants seeking work in Russia than from other nations in the region.

Central Asian governments have attempted to maintain some semblance of neutrality amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, while a host of difficult questions have arisen for national and regional governments alike, from intense grappling with a legacy of Russian imperial projects and Soviet colonialism to more pragmatic questions of how to manage and shift regional trade networks, when a significant economic partner turns itself into a pariah. 

The success rate of the Russian ads in Kazakhstan in terms of recruitment rates is not known, but the risk is clearly evident. It is noteworthy that both China and the USA face comparable difficulties in recruiting “Gen Z” youth. Those ready and willing to join the military recruitment (in the face of dismal employment prospects elsewhere) may be unhealthy, overweight or psychologically unfit.

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The head of Antikora spoke about the agency’s plans to return assets illegally withdrawn from the country in the Interview program.

According to Askhat Zhumagali, the money will go to the state treasury in one of the criminal cases.

The head of the department noted that through joint efforts, state bodies have already returned more than 850 billion tenge to the budget of the republic. All finances will go to the construction of schools and hospitals.

“In July, a law on the return of assets was adopted. Now this activity will be carried out more actively. Where there is no sufficient justification, so to speak, for wealth of one kind or another, it will be recognized as unjustified enrichment and measures will be taken to turn it into state revenue. There there is a certain procedure. It has been discussed more than once. We are actively working and it will continue,” Askhat Zhumagali assured.

Return of illegally withdrawn assets to Kazakhstan

Last summer, an interdepartmental commission was established to carry out comprehensive work to return funds illegally exported by citizens of Kazakhstan abroad. The commission was headed by the Prosecutor General of the country Berik Asylov.

In November, after his inauguration, Tokayev signed a decree on measures to return illegally withdrawn assets to Kazakhstan. At the same time, speaking at the inauguration, the head of state announced the need to return all illegally withdrawn assets to the country.

At the end of 2022, the head of Antikor reported to the President of Kazakhstan that over 11 months of 2022, the return to the state of illegally acquired property assets and funds in the amount of more than 600 billion tenge was ensured .

At the end of April this year, the Ministry of Finance reported that illegally withdrawn assets worth 670 billion tenge were returned to the country .

Prosecutor General Berik Asylov said that assets worth 760 billion tenge were returned to the country , including $575 million from foreign jurisdictions.

Later, the Minister of Finance of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Yerulan Zhamaubayev, explained the information about the creation of a separate department in the structure of the Prosecutor General’s Office for the return of illegally withdrawn assets.

“A special department, an authorized body will be created that will directly carry out this work. A certain fund will be created.

This fund may be a separate account, perhaps it will be a separate enterprise that will have an account,” he said.

At the end of May, Majilis deputy Snezhanna Imasheva told how and by whom the decision on the return of illegally withdrawn assets to the state would be made.

Meanwhile, MP Maharram Maharramov explained how the illegally acquired assets would be returned to the state. According to him, the decision on confiscation will be made by a Kazakh court or a foreign court, depending on the circumstances of the case.

In the middle of last month, the president signed into law the law “On the return to the state of illegally acquired assets” with accompanying amendments.

Source

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Two QAZAQ AIR flights were in Kazakhstan for the first time, the crew of which was entirely female, writes Vc.ru.

Crew commander Ekaterina Sverchkova and co-pilot Azhar Nessipbayeva flew on the routes Astana – Petropavlovsk – Astana and Astana – Omsk – Astana. The crew also included two female flight attendants.

Ekaterina Sverchkova has been working at QAZAQ AIR since 2018, and her passion for parachuting led her to aviation. According to her, she has never encountered gender stereotypes or prejudice in her work.

Source: Turkmen Portal

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According to Ozon, the project, set to be completed within 12 months, will cover an expansive area of 42,000 square meters and is expected to generate 2,000 new job opportunities in the region.

Ozon’s business is thriving in Kazakhstan, and the logistics complex will be expanded to accommodate increasing demand from sellers and buyers for the platform’s services. The new facility will act as a fulfilment center in Almaty, near to the Chinese border, offering a complete package of services for online orders from local sellers. From accepting goods for storage to packaging and dispatching parcels to customers, the hub will efficiently cater to the growing e-commerce landscape in the country.

Ozon’s strategic move to establish this logistics hub comes as a response to the surging demand for its marketplace services in Kazakhstan. By providing a dedicated fulfilment center, the company aims to enhance its operational efficiency and meet the rising needs of sellers and buyers alike.

To bring this project to fruition, Ozon has partnered with Focus Logistics, a subsidiary of the prominent Kazakh construction group – Bazis.

Having commenced its operations in Kazakhstan in 2021, Ozon has been committed to expanding its logistical infrastructure in the region. Presently, the company operates two fulfilment centers and over 100 pickup and drop-off points in Kazakhstan. With ambitious plans in sight, Ozon intends to increase the number of pickup and drop-off points to 1,000 by the end of 2023.

Russia and Kazakhstan are both members of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) Free Trade bloc. In 2022 the bilateral trade volume between Russia and Kazakhstan increased by US$2 billion reaching US$26 billion. Growth rates have been at rates of 10% plus with signs that this is also increasing.

Source: Silk Road Briefing

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Peter Sztyk, a Canadian lawyer and entrepreneur who also goes by the name “Petro”, has joined a group of foreign consultants who will manage the Office of Strategic Programs, which the NOC inaugurated in February 15 during a meeting with local oil industry executives in Benghazi.

Who is Peter Sztyk?

The Canadian lawyer graduated in 1993 from Concordia University with bachelor in political science. In 1996, he earned a Bachelor of Laws from Université de Montréal before getting admitted to the Bar of Quebec in 1998 and later to the New York Bar in 2004. He speaks French, English, Ukrainian and Russian. According to Bloomberg, he became the CEO of New World Oil & Gas company in 2014.

Since 2020, he has been working with Canadian legal firm Delegatus, which states that his past experience prior to joining the firm include “the restructuring of the investment holding structure of an industrial holdings group with significant assets in Kazakhstan”.

Delegatus also says that he “acted as lead counsel and coordinating attorney for counsels from applicable jurisdictions including Kazakhstan, Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, the Cayman Islands and Luxembourg.”

Connection to a Major Fraud Scheme

The self-described “transactional lawyer” and his American wife Botagoz Jardemalie are allegedly tied to the embezzlement of a Kazakhstani bank known as BTA Bank, which has been described as one of the world’s biggest financial frauds totaling US$5 billion, according to British newspaper The Guardian.

The bank’s former chairman Mukhtar Ablyazov perpetrated the fraud. The Kazakh government discovered the scheme in 2009, when it nationalized the bank. He was accused of “fraud on an epic scale” by using a web of shell companies and associates to siphon billions of dollars before fleeing to the UK.

After BTA Bank’s new management successfully applied for an injunction to freeze his assets in the UK, the presiding judge, Nigel Teare, ruled in 2013 that the fugitive oligarch had defrauded BTA Bank, saying that the evidence showed he had participated in a “dishonest scheme” to “misappropriate monies,” according to Reuters.

Incidentally, when Ablyazov became the sole owner of BTA Bank in 2005, Sztyk’s wife Botagoz Jardemalie was hired as managing director. She then went on to become a member of BTA Bank’s management board in October 2008, according to Open Source Investigations.

In January of 2020, American news website BuzzFeed obtained documents which link 25 of Ablyazov’s shell companies to Jardemalie. According to BuzzFeed, she fled Kazakhstan around the same time as he did and later moved to Belgium.

One of the companies used to conceal and move Ablyazov’s funds is controlled by Dubai-based British accountant named Eesh Aggarwal, as per BuzzFeed’s report. Aggarwal is described in a court declaration as “a financial advisor loyal to Ablyazov” and BuzzFeed’s documents shows direct link between Aggarwal and Sztyk.

Separate evidence reviewed by BuzzFeed shows that in summer 2013 an entity controlled by Aggarwal called Beron agreed to transfer $2 million to a company controlled by a Russian lawyer named Georgy Gomshiashvili. Beron is one of the companies Aggarwal is alleged to have used to administer the $500 million.

One of the documents seen by BuzzFeed shows that in August 2013 Gomshiashvili was introduced to Aggarwal by Sztyk. According to BuzzFeed, the same cache of documents also suggests that funds from Beron made their way to a company owned by Jardemalie.

On 4 May 2013, Kazakhstani authorities issued an arrest warrant on against Jardemalie’s, accusing her of “misappropriation or embezzlement of entrusted property” in relation to the positions she held at BTA Bank, according to Open Source Investigations. However, there are no public reports of whether or not Sztyk himself is the subject of any legally punitive procedures in Kazakhstan or anywhere else.

New Role in Libya

Established as part of a strategic plan for developing the country’s oil and gas sector, the Office of Strategic Programs will oversee the implementation of the plan using “modern methods and capabilities,” according to NOC’s chairman Farhat Bengdara.

During the inauguration ceremony in Benghazi last month, Sztyk was pictured among the panel of foreign consultants which are tasked with managing the office.

It is unclear how Sztyk, with his publicly questionable history, ended up on the final list of foreign consultants authorized by NOC to manage the Office of Strategic Programs. The NOC never disclosed whether there was a selection criteria or any form of vetting for the foreign consultants.

Until today, the NOC still hasn’t even disclosed how exactly would Sztyk, and the rest of the foreign consultants, manage the Office of Strategic Programs.

As Libya’s main source of economic welfare, the country’s oil industry has been the subject of political strife and forced blockade by the country’s warring parties who are competing to control oil for leverage.

With an allegedly corrupt consultant in charge, it seems now that the future of the NOC’s Office of Strategic Programs, and ultimately the future of Libya’s oil sector, are facing new threat from within.

Source: The Libya Update

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Kenes Rakishev (Keñes Hamitūly Raqyşev) aka Kenges Rakishev is an entrepreneur, philanthropist, former special envoy for Kazakhstan, head of the Kazakh boxing federation, a family man, and most importantly, a man of success. Under Kenges Rakishev’s leadership, the Kazakh female and male boxing squad leaped considerable forward and secured the top ranking in the recent boxing championship putting Kazakhstan boxing squarely in the top ranking in the world. A total of 21 medals were won by the Kazakhstan’s boxers – a tally of six gold, seven silver and eight bronze – and all were honoured at a ceremony in Almaty last November. 

The backstory of Kenges Rakishev in business and his philanthropies is a complex one and is an interesting read with the Kazakh millionaire serving the interest of Kazakhstan, when he brought a number of top criminals in Kazakhstan to justice. An Israeli spy attempted to hack his account, is now serving time for his criminal hacking activities and falsifying entire email strings with the help of an Indian company. 

The question to ask is, why the fake news that was generated with considerable expense was aimed to destroy a routine career of a successful young entrepreneur? 

The answer is found in the plots of one person, Mukhtar Ablyazov, a Kazakh businessman who is on the run. On 5 July this year, the French court order the fugitive to leave France within the next 30 days. The deadline will expire on 5 August 2023. 

More interestingly and a fact largely overlooked, where Mukhtar Ablyazov’s connection to an “assassination” of the Deputy president of the BTA Yerzhan Tatishev, initially claimed as a “hunting accident”. But the true murderer, Muratkhan Tokmadi was apprehended and he claimed that Ablyazov gave the orders to kill the bank chair. He was sentenced to more than ten years on March 16, 2018. The case was declared as a premeditated murder by the Kazakh prosecutor. The fate of Ablyazov, who operates a fake NGO in Brussels that was identified as acting on behalf of the Russian foreign intelligence service, is linked to the recent MEP bribing scandal of an Italian former parliament member and the Greek former speaker of the EU parliament. The French court has withdrawn his political asylum status after the U.S. court in New York found Ablyazov guilty on fraud and money laundering charges. 

Kenges Rakishev was born on Bastille Day, the French national day on July 14, 1979. The 44-year Kazakh millionaire is an interesting study of human success. Ultra boyishly shy, he is the poster boy of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s “New Kazakhstan” vision for the future and better Kazakhstan. He received his education in the UK, married into the Kazakhstan elite clan and positioned quietly in the affairs of the state. Kenges’ wife, Aselle Tasmagambetova is the daughter of the former prime minister and holds a success story of her own. Together, the couple represents the future blueprint of a modern centrality at the crossroads of Central Asia, Europe, and Asia, and are still deeply embedded in Kazakh culture.

Kenges Rakishev is an entrepreneur, philanthropist, former special envoy for Kazakhstan, head of the Kazakh boxing federation, a family man, and most importantly, a man of success. 

Besides his fast rise to stellar fame, Kenges Rakishev has his ups and downs. Though it seems there is more ups than downs but unfortunately, he is targeted by smear campaigns by international hackers and fake news campaigns ‘journalists-for-hire’ funded by powerful crime figures. Such was the reality of his life. There were bizarre claims on his character, especially one made by one of Europe’s experienced journalists, which resulted in a public apology to the Kazakh former special envoy to US.

Looking past the many smears and attempts of insults, Kenges Rakishev is a successful businessman and tech investor in Kazakhstan, with interests in various industries, including mining, technology, and finance. Both husband and wife are actively involved in philanthropy work and generously supporting various causes and organizations in Kazakhstan and abroad.

However, Rakishev’s success and wealth have also made him a target of criticisms and scrutiny, especially in the context of Kazakhstan’s complex political and economic landscape. Some critics have accused him of benefiting financially and socially from his close ties with the Kazakh government.

Amidst the false reports, it is important to note that he and his family have not been charged or sanctioned by any U.S. or European government. Due to his tech savviness and careful business acumen, he rose to become an influential and well-connected individual in Kazakhstan. He was never involved in any illegal or unethical activities. While he may have had dinners and taken photographs with political leaders, it was all done all in a day’s work for Kenges whose aim was to do his job as appointed by the President Tokayev and the Kazakh government.

One such controversy was his so-called connection with an organized crime figure, Felix Sater. Sater has criminal history links to organized crime in New York, acted as an informer on the New York mob, the Russians and bizarrely, Osama bin Laden too protected him from jailtime. In 2019, a federal judge unsealed a 5k1 letter that outlined the extent of Felix Sater’s cooperation with law enforcement authorities. His cooperation was taken into consideration during his sentencing. Evidently, Sater’s testimonies on the mob at the U.S. House Intelligence Committee were viewed with some scepticism. In 2019, Vice ran an article that raised questions about Sater’s credibility and the accuracy of his claims. The article highlighted concerns about Sater’s criminal history, his associations with organized crime figures, and his tendency to exaggerate or fabricate his connections to influential individuals. While Sater’s credibility may be debatable, however it does not invalidate his statements and claims.

And then there’s Mukhtar Ablyazov, Rakishev’s long drawn political opponent. Once a media darling of the liberal press, his novelty has worn off. He was chairman of the board of directors at BTA Bank, where he was later found guilty of embezzlement and money laundering of the bank’s funds. Ablyazov was found guilty and convicted in the United Kingdom and in the United States, while the future for this fraudster and his associates looks dim in France. In early March 2022 a French court rejected his political claims and request for political asylum.

The U.K. Supreme court opening statement pointed out that Ablyazov executed an “elaborate attempt to conceal his assets” to avoid prosecution by the bank, at the time when the bank, BTA was nationalized. The U.K. courts frowned upon Ablyazov and his associates’ positions. The appeals by the Mukhtar Ablyazov and his associates were rejected by the U.K. Supreme court.

Mukhtar Ablyazov has since fled from U.K after a 22-month jail sentence in the UK court was handed down. Currently, he is rumoured to be in political exile in either France or Spain. On December 9, 2016, the highest French court (Conseil d’état) banned the extradition of Ablyazov to Russia and Ukraine. The U.K. court orders chose to explicitly illustrate the frauds committed by Mukhtar Ablyazov.

While Ablyazov was under investigations, the Kazakh administration executed a controlling stake holding on BTA Bank and appointed at the time a person the Kazakh state trusted. Kenges Rakishev was this man. Rakishev managed to save the company, fixed it and sold his stake. Mergers and acquisitions are his specialty after all.

“It was a national security crisis”, a person close to the matter spoke on grounds of anonymity. “Despite the western media celebrating Mukhtar Ablyazov as somewhat a hero, the truth is rather different”, she said. The criminal courts in the United Kingdom, the United States and now France has taken him into account, thus the ex-banker has limited room to move around in the European Union.

“The president looked around and when it came to the critical moment, he turned to Kenges Rakishev to save the employees, the bank and honestly, save Kazakhstan. It was a national security crisis. Rakishev has done his job and he was compensated, which is normal.” she added. “Once the job was done, he left, sold his shares and he went back to look after his family.” So Kenes saved the day. And saved the bank.

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