Astana woman detained for visa fraud worth over 330 million tenge

Tengrinews.kz - A woman has been detained in Astana on suspicion of large-scale visa fraud, citing the city prosecutor’s office.

According to investigators, more than 60 people were affected. The suspect allegedly promised to arrange long- and short-term visas to European countries, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

“To avoid criminal liability, she signed fictitious loan agreements with the victims, attempting to disguise the fraud as civil transactions. The damages amounted to more than 330 million tenge,” prosecutors said.

Her actions have been classified under Article 190, Part 4, Clause 2 of the Criminal Code – fraud committed on an especially large scale.

Authorities are working to identify all the victims. The prosecutor’s office reminded that fraud of this scale carries a sentence of up to 10 years in prison with confiscation of property.

Previously, the Kazakh Ministry of Internal Affairs warned citizens about a new fraud scheme involving booking apartments and hotels through popular online platforms,