While the ongoing ‘antiterrorist’ operation continues in Kazakhstan, life in the country is slowly returning to normalcy. However, it remains far from complete equilibrium, hinting at potential surprises. This is evident from an unexpected statement by BTA Bank JSC.

Recalling that BTA Bank relinquished its banking licenses in 2015, it has since operated more like a phantom entity. It exists primarily because the Library and Akorda still wield it as the primary tool in their perpetual ‘war’ against their political adversary, Mukhtar Ablyazov.

Quoting from a press release on the BTA Bank website dated January 19, 2022, and subsequently echoed by certain media outlets (text in bold by KZ.expert):

“BTA Bank JSC informs that it is continuing to work on recovering stolen assets. Following the tragic events at the start of this January and with international judicial trials entering an active stage, the company’s management and shareholder have faced hacker and information attacks. We anticipate potential leaks of false and provocative information. These attacks aim to blackmail and discredit BTA Bank JSC. Ablyazov M.K. and his accomplices are the main figures in these trials.

We urge you not to succumb to leaks of false information and to trust only official sources. Reliable information can be obtained on the official website of BTA Bank JSC www.bta.kz. Let us remind you that spreading deliberately false information is criminally liable according to Article 274 ‘Spreading Deliberately False Information’ of the Kazakh Criminal Code.

We do not know the nature of the information that former Chairman of the BTA Board of Directors Mukhtar Ablyazov and his allies (aka accomplices) are planning to ‘leak.’ However, judging by the concern of the former bank’s ghost, its current owner, Kenes Rakishev, appears more than worried.

At KZ.expert, we believe these concerns are well-founded because, unlike the Kazakh state and the ‘leader of the nation,’ Kenes Rakishev is merely a businessman, albeit a wealthy and influential one.

It is possible that Mr. Ablyazov, for instance, has decided to reveal the story of how billionaire Timur Kulibayev, with direct support from his father-in-law, then-Prime Minister Karim Masimov, ex-chair of Samruk-Kazyna JSC and the National Bank Kayrat Kelimbetov, ex-chair of the RK Agency for Regulation and Monitoring Financial Market Elena Bakhmutova, and associates, stole two BTA Bank assets – one in Russia and another in Kazakhstan. Notably, BTA Bank JSC had invested no less than US$1.3 billion in these assets.

Another sensitive topic for BTA Bank and Kenes Rakishev might be the expenses incurred in the ‘war’ against Muktar Ablyazov. Historical practices suggest that, in such cases, Akorda (now the Library) has not hesitated to fund legally dubious operations, involving not only private detective agencies but also semi-criminal organizations.

Given Ablyazov’s claims of constant surveillance in his social media posts, it is conceivable that he may have uncovered information damaging to Kenes Rakishev’s reputation.

A third topic that could harm not only Kenes Rakishev but also his father-in-law, Imangali Tasmagambetov, is the revelation of the true size of their family fortune and its sources. According to our estimates, the fortune amounts to much more than a billion dollars, and we are prepared to substantiate our estimations with corresponding documents.

Therefore, it is likely that we will soon find information on the internet regarding how and from where Imangali Tasmagambetov obtained hundreds of millions of US dollars that he then entrusted to his son-in-law.

In conclusion, we emphasize that, in this particular case, trusting the official source, i.e., BTA Bank JSC, would be a significant mistake. This is because the said phantom legal entity, whether deliberately or out of laziness, is already deceiving the Kazakh citizens.

Don’t believe us? Visit the bank’s official website, open the page titled ‘The Main Successes of the Legal Process,’ and read the latest announcement.