Russia hands over billion-tenge fraud suspect to Kazakhstan

A suspect in a case involving 1 billion tenge ($2.15 million) in budget damages has been extradited from Russia to Kazakhstan, according to the Prosecutor General’s Office.

The individual was part of a transnational criminal group and, in 2023, engaged in the illegal trade of unmarked tobacco products intended for export to Russia, Caliber.Az reports per Kazakh media.

Following the crime, he was placed on an international wanted list. In April 2025, he was apprehended in Russia and extradited to Kazakhstan at the request of authorities. He is currently held in pretrial detention and faces up to 12 years in prison with asset confiscation.

By Jeyhun Aghazada