Astana LRT Case: Interpol Unable to Locate Fugitive Convicts – Deputy Prosecutor General

Kazakhstan's Deputy Prosecutor General, Asset Chindaliev, has commented on the ongoing search for Talgat Ardan and Kanat Sultanbekov, both convicted of embezzlement in the Astana Light Rail Transit (LRT) project.

Their whereabouts remain officially unconfirmed, Orda.kz reports.

We have different types of search operations. Domestic searches are handled by our law enforcement agencies, while Interpol is responsible for international efforts. We issue the necessary instructions to Interpol, and they conduct their search. To extradite a fugitive, Interpol must first pinpoint their exact location and coordinate detention measures with the relevant country. Only then can an arrest be initiated. So far, Interpol has not provided precise data on the location of this person or information on detention measures. Chindaliev explained.

Talgat Ardan, former Board Chair of Astana LRT LLP, has been on Interpol’s wanted list since 2018 for embezzling funds allocated for the city's light rail system. Kazakhstan’s Anti-Corruption Service claims his whereabouts have been determined, placing him in Türkiye.

In 2023, Kazakhstan court sentenced Ardan in absentia to nine years in prison for large-scale budget funds embezzlement and office abuse. Social media activity has suggested he is abroad.

Kanat Sultanbekov, who previously served as Deputy Akim of Astana and Deputy Chair of the Board of Kazakhstan Engineering, was placed on the international wanted list in 2019. He is also accused of embezzlement in the Astana LRT project.

The Anti-Corruption Service has stated that Sultanbekov is believed to be in the United States, and efforts are ongoing to secure his extradition. In May 2023, Kazakhstan court sentenced him to seven years in absentia.

Media reports suggest that Sultanbekov’s family resides in New York, with his wife actively sharing their life in the U.S. on social media. He remains at large despite authorities’ attempts to bring him back to Kazakhstan.

Original Author: Ilya Astakhov