Astana court convicts 10 in 500 million tenge migration scheme

September 22, 2026 at 11:25 AM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

A court in Astana convicted 10 people for running an illegal migration scheme through a public service center that generated over 500 million tenge. The group included employees of the Government for Citizens corporation and a former police migration inspector. The scheme operated for more than three years, issuing thousands of illegal identification numbers and temporary residence permits.

Key Facts

The scheme operated in Astana for more than three years and generated over 500 million tenge.
Ten people were convicted, including three employees of the Government for Citizens corporation and a former police migration inspector.
Former police inspector Zhaukazyn Korabayeva received a seven-year prison sentence, with execution deferred.
Intermediary Ramid Amergali processed 385 foreigners and handled 196 million tenge.
The court verdict has not entered into legal force and may be appealed.

The Criminal Scheme

The scheme operated in Astana for more than three years, allowing thousands of foreign citizens to illegally obtain individual identification numbers and temporary residence permits in Kazakhstan. Intermediaries collected money from migrants and passed bribes to employees of the Government for Citizens corporation. In complex cases, such as when a foreigner faced deportation, an inspector from the migration service of the Baikonyr district police department was involved. Law enforcement agencies stopped the group's activities in early 2025, and almost all defendants gave confessional testimony.

Sentences and Penalties

The court sentenced 10 people to various punishments, including seven-year prison terms for three employees of the Government for Citizens corporation. Former police inspector Zhaukazyn Korabayeva, who received over 12 million tenge for illegal services, was sentenced to seven years in prison with execution deferred. Intermediaries Asel Kuanysheva, Ramid Amergali, and Oryntai Tashkenova were found guilty of bribery and sentenced to large fines. Altynai Aldibayeva, who transferred money to a police captain, received a seven-year prison sentence. Laura Kopbayeva, convicted of document forgery and defrauding migrants, was sentenced to restriction of freedom.