A court in Astana sentenced businessman Kairat Boranbayev to eight years in prison on March 31, a landmark case against one of the country’s richest. He was accused of embezzlement in a series of gas trade and transit deals with state-owned company Qazaqgaz. At the time, he was one of the main shareholders in Aziya-Gaz Chundzha LLP, a gas transit company. A businessman close to the circles of power, Boranbayev’s daughter was married to former President Nursultan Nazarbayev’s grandson Aisultan.
An RFE/RL investigation found that companies controlled by billionaire Timur Kulibaev acquired formerly government-owned land in top locations in Kazakhstan’s business capital, Almaty. But he may have to fight to keep them.