Poland detains head of major Azerbaijani travel agency

Polish authorities have detained Rovshan Abdullayev, head of Flyblast, one of Azerbaijan’s largest travel agencies, after being placed on an international wanted list.

He is accused of fraudulently misappropriating around 1 million manats ($588 thousand) from clients, Caliber.Az reports, citing local media.

Flyblast Agency Travel, which employed around 100 people, provided a wide range of services, including airline ticket and tour package sales, visa assistance and transfers. However, dozens of citizens reportedly became victims of fraud in the course of its operations.

Following complaints from victims, the Prosecutor’s Office of Baku’s Khatai District launched a criminal case against Abdullayev under Articles 178.4 (large-scale fraud) and 308 (abuse of official authority) of Azerbaijan’s Criminal Code. As he was hiding abroad, a court ordered his arrest in absentia. The company has since ceased operations entirely.

Abdullayev is currently in custody in Poland, while extradition proceedings have been launched to return him to Azerbaijan. If found guilty and the damage remains uncompensated, he could face up to 14 years in prison.

Earlier, a similar scandal involved another major player in Azerbaijan’s tourism industry, AID Group. Its executives, Nigar Farhad and her husband, Samir Yahyazade, were reportedly brought into the investigation over alleged fraud.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov