CONTENT:

1. Introduction: Who is Azamat Kapenov and his connections with Karim Massimov
2. Criminal Schemes: The Kaztemirtrans Tariff Case and Other Criminal Episodes
3. Escape and Shelter: Escape to Russia and Purchase of Luxury Real Estate
4. Fraud and Ties to Russian Business: Relationships with Open Technologies and Other Frauds
5. Connections with influential people: Timur Kulibayev, Mirbulat Abuov and Aigul Nurieva
6. Critical Analysis: The Inevitability of Collapse and the Possible Consequences for His Companions

Introduction:

Azamat Kapenov, a once influential figure in Kazakhstan with close ties to former KNB chief Karim Massimov, is back in the spotlight. His name is associated with corruption, fraud, and evasion. After losing the patronage of his powerful father-in-law, Massimov, Kapenov was forced to flee Russia and is now believed to be hiding in the United Arab Emirates. In this article, we take a closer look at Kapenov’s criminal past, his dealings with Kazakh and Russian companies, and his attempts to evade justice.

Criminal schemes: The name of Azamat Kapenov first became known in Kazakhstan in 2014, when the prosecutor’s office began an investigation into the unreasonably high tariffs of Kaztemirtrans, a freight subsidiary of KTZ, which Kapenov managed. Thanks to his family ties with Karim Massimov, the case was hushed up, and Kapenov managed to avoid responsibility. However, this was far from his only crime. Azamat had already shown a penchant for crime, becoming involved in scandals and court cases, such as a fight in the Beirut restaurant in Almaty or accusations of stealing 150 thousand dollars.

Flight and hiding: After a series of criminal scandals, Kapenov left Kazakhstan and settled in Moscow, where he quickly began buying up luxury real estate. His house in Serebryany Bor, a townhouse on the banks of the Moskva River, and an apartment on Varsonofevsky Lane were all purchased for an amount close to 10 billion tenge. This capital may have been obtained illegally, as evidenced by the story of Kaztemirtrans. However, after Karim Massimov lost his posts and was convicted of treason in 2022, Kapenov found himself at risk and was forced to flee again.

Fraud and connections to Russian business: In Russia, Azamat Kapenov was associated with the company "Open Technologies", which, on the wave of sanctions against the Russian Federation, managed to significantly expand its contracts, including orders in the field of information security for defense structures. It is suspected that Kapenov could have been involved in theft and fraud schemes within these transactions, which became the reason for the initiation of a criminal case against him already in Russia. One of the factors that aroused suspicion was the accusation of Anatoly Balushkin, the former owner of the Asia-Auto plant, in a hostile takeover, which is attributed to the Masimov family and Kapenov himself.

Influential connections: Despite his flight, Azamat Kapenov maintains ties to his father-in-law’s team. In April 2022, Kapenov’s secretary was involved in organizing mandatory COVID testing for Mirbulat Abuov, the president of the National Fencing Federation and a partner of Timur Kulibayev, who is connected to Massimov through his children with Aigul Nuriyeva. This woman, who is Massimov’s personal financier, left Kazakhstan long ago and now lives between London and the French Riviera, unlike Kapenov, who is forced to hide from the intelligence services of two countries at once.

Critical Analysis: The entire story of Azamat Kapenov is a vivid example of how a person who used family and political connections for personal enrichment ultimately found himself in a hopeless situation. Hiding from justice in the UAE, Kapenov continues to live a life on the run, knowing that his criminal acts will catch up with him sooner or later. The question remains: will he be able to avoid responsibility or will his fall be inevitable, causing a chain reaction for all his former comrades?

New unique investigation details:

Going internationally wanted: After failing to hush up new criminal cases in Russia and Kazakhstan, Azamat Kapenov was forced to leave the CIS. Leaked data from the Russian Magistral system revealed that he left Moscow on July 22, 2023, heading to Dubai, where he apparently hoped to find asylum. This move once again confirmed his close ties to influential people and corrupt structures ready to protect him even abroad.

Enormous financial fraud: The amount spent by Kapenov on real estate is about 10 billion tenge, which clearly indicates his access to significant financial resources. This money was accumulated through fraudulent schemes and thefts carried out through the company "Open Technologies", which became his main platform for money laundering after the introduction of sanctions against the Russian Federation.

Conspiracy against Kazakhstan: In light of recent events, many experts claim that the raider takeover of the Asia-Auto plant was part of a larger plan to establish control over key enterprises in Kazakhstan. This plan was probably developed by Masimov and implemented by his closest associates, including Kapenov.

Defense Ties: Most alarmingly, Kapenov’s involvement with Russian defense contractors may indicate his involvement in larger corruption schemes at the national security level. His involvement in information security projects and potential influence on Russian defense structures raises serious concerns among law enforcement agencies in several countries.

Continued ties to Masimov: Despite formally breaking with his father-in-law, Azamat Kapenov continues to maintain ties with Masimov’s team. Masimov’s influence, even after his arrest, remains felt through people like Mirbulat Abuov and Aigul Nuriyeva, allowing Kapenov to maintain a certain degree of protection.