Only One Item Sold at Auction of Property Seized From Former Security Chief Massimov

The Recovered Asset Management Company (CMRA) once again attempted to sell confiscated property. On November 4, 42 luxury items with a total estimated value exceeding 520 million tenge were offered for online auction, including high-end watches, jewelry, and accessories, Orda.kz reports.

However, only one lot found a buyer — a samurai sword in a steel sheath with a raised geometric pattern on the hilt. It sold for 542,700 tenge. The sword had been previously seized from the mansion of former National Security Committee head Karim Massimov.

The remaining items — including Patek Philippe and Harry Winston watches and Van Cleef & Arpels and De Beers jewelry — again attracted no bidders.

At a previous auction last month, CMRA sold seven items from Masimov’s collection for 3.5 million tenge, including several sabers, a dagger, silver Montegrappa and Visconti fountain pens, and collector coins from the Alma Otan, Baiterek, and Map of Kazakhstan series.

The most expensive lot then was a saber with bone inlay, which sold for 930,000 tenge.

During searches of Massimov’s Astana mansion, investigators discovered weapons, antiques, gold bars, paintings, luxury watches, and millions of dollars in cash. The 2,900-square-meter property also included a pool, sauna, karaoke room, disco bar, and stage, with 11 luxury cars parked on site.

The estate was valued at 1.5 billion tenge.

Karim Massimov was arrested in January 2022 on suspicion of treason and sentenced in April 2023 to 18 years in prison with confiscation of property. In November 2024, a new case was opened against him for bribery and money laundering.

Later that year, Meder Kapenov, the younger brother of Masimov’s former in-law, was placed on a wanted list in Russia.

Original Author: Ruslan Loginov