During a meeting with residents of the Issyk-Kul region, President Sadyr Japarov clarified why his younger brother, Askarbek, was mentioned in connection with the $40 million Novel hotel case. The clarification followed allegations made by Kubat Alymbekov, who claimed his legal complaints regarding the seizure of the resort were being blocked by a member of the President's inner circle.
Details of the dispute and the President's response
When asked to identify the individual allegedly obstructing the case, Alymbekov referred to the President's brother. Japarov responded by stating that a Russian businessman had approached him through Askarbek regarding a pension that was built by Russians but subsequently seized.
You and people like Kolbaev took the pension from the Russians after they built it, and threatened them with murder if the investor came here,
The President emphasized that Askarbek holds no ownership stake in the hotel. He noted that prior to 2020, various foreign investors had their assets seized through cooperation between authorities and criminal elements. Japarov stated he had ordered a verification of the facts to ensure any wrongfully taken property is returned.
Case Resolution Status
Following the President's instructions, the State Committee for National Security (GKNB) reported that the damages to the foreign investor have been fully compensated. This includes the transfer of 100% of LLC Aiseo, the company that owns the Novel recreation center.
Context
The incident involves the Novel recreation center located in the Issyk-Kul region. President Japarov noted that before 2020, assets were frequently taken from foreign investors by previous authorities and criminal groups.
