43 Facts About Mukhtar Ablyazov

Mukhtar Qabyluly Ablyazov is a Kazakh businessman and political activist who served as chairman of Bank Turan Alem, and is a co-founder and a leader of the unregistered political party Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan.

Mukhtar Ablyazov was the former head of the state-owned Kazakhstan Electricity Grid Operating Company as well as briefly holding the position of Minister for Energy, Industry, and Trade under Balgimbayev's cabinet before resigning from and joining the opposition against President Nursultan Nazarbayev.

Mukhtar Ablyazov has been accused of embezzling $6 billion from BTA Bank while serving as chairman.

Mukhtar Ablyazov was released from the Fleury-Merogis Prison and was believed to reside in Paris.

In September 2020, Mukhtar Ablyazov obtained the status of political refugee in France.

In July 2023, Mukhtar Ablyazov posted on his Facebook that he was ordered to leave French territory within 30 days.

Mukhtar Ablyazov was born in the village of Vannovka in the South Kazakhstan Region, at the time when Kazakhstan was part of the Soviet Union.

Mukhtar Ablyazov was taught at a Russian-speaking school, the Lomonosov Regional School, in his hometown.

Mukhtar Ablyazov partly worked as a loader in a rural farm at night.

At the age of 17, Mukhtar Ablyazov wanted to become a theoretician and a professor.

Mukhtar Ablyazov attended the Alma-Ata State University where he then later transferred to Moscow Engineering Physics Institute during his sophomore year.

In 1990, Mukhtar Ablyazov was enrolled in postgraduate studies in the Moscow Engineering and Physics Institute.

Mukhtar Ablyazov started working during the fall of the Soviet Union and the start of Kazakhstan's Independence.

In 1991, Mukhtar Ablyazov registered his first company and named it "Madina," which is the name of his first daughter.

In 1992, Mukhtar Ablyazov started his business by supplying all the regions of Kazakhstan with products such as salt, sugar, flower, matches, tea, chocolate, medicine, photocopiers, fax machines and computers.

In 1997, Mukhtar Ablyazov was appointed as head of the state-owned Kazakhstan Electricity Grid Operating Company.

In 1998, Mukhtar Ablyazov was a leading member of consortium of Kazakh investors that acquired Bank Turan Alem in a privatization auction for $72 million.

Mukhtar Ablyazov served as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of BTA Bank from 2005 to 2009.

Mukhtar Ablyazov's first interests in politics was in 1987 when he engaged in social activities and founded a political club, believing that the Soviet Union wasn't being developed properly at the Kazakh National University where he was a junior researcher.

In 1998, as head of KEGOC, Mukhtar Ablyazov was named Minister for Energy, Industry, and Trade.

Mukhtar Ablyazov moved to Moscow in 2003 to rebuild his business ties and in 2005 became the Chairman of the Board of Directors of BTA Bank.

Mukhtar Ablyazov rented a 15,000 square foot mansion on Bishop's Avenue in London.

The Nazarbaev government reportedly considered Mukhtar Ablyazov to be implicated in these media outlets' critical coverage.

Also during his time in Britain, Mukhtar Ablyazov was the main source of funding for Aksara, an independent theater company whose productions challenge the Nazarbaev government and seek to provide an alternative to the state-subsidized theater, which takes a pro-government stance.

In 2012, a British judge ordered Mukhtar Ablyazov imprisoned for purportedly lying in court about his financial assets.

Mukhtar Ablyazov's lawyers said that he left because he had received a death threat.

Mukhtar Ablyazov is a member of the centre-right party 'The People of Freedom' headed by Silvio Berlusconi, known for his friendly relations with the President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev.

Mukhtar Ablyazov was detained until December 2016, as Russia sought Ablyazov's extradition from France, but Ablyazov argued that extradition would place him at risk of ill-treatment and an unfair trial.

Mukhtar Ablyazov is alleged to have embezzled $6 billion from BTA Bank while serving as chairman.

INTERPOL issued a Red Notice arrest warrant for Mukhtar Ablyazov, which was basis for his arrest by French authorities in 2013.

JSC BTA Bank v Mukhtar Ablyazov is a landmark financial fraud case consisting of up to eleven proceedings before the English High Court that has set precedents for judgement monetary value, and procedure and standards for recovery of assets held in disparate jurisdictions worldwide.

Mukhtar Ablyazov was the subject of seven legal claims in the English High Court totalling $3.7 billion.

The first decision that Mukhtar Ablyazov lost in the UK courts was passed down by William Blair, brother of Tony Blair.

In October 2010, Mukhtar Ablyazov lost a legal fight to prevent his assets from being subject to a receivership order.

Mukhtar Ablyazov was granted asylum in the UK in July 2011, a recognition that he would face political persecution if sent back to Kazakhstan.

Mukhtar Ablyazov was sentenced to 20 years in prison in June 2017.

City of Almaty, Kazakhstan v Mukhtar Ablyazov was filed on 9 July 2015 in the Southern District of New York federal court with Judge Alison Julie Nathan presiding.

Mukhtar Ablyazov wrote to the federal judge in February 2019 that he cannot provide documents to the court because he left them in the UK in 2012.

The Plaintiffs responded that Mukhtar Ablyazov has obstructed discovery and indeed documents are in possession by Mukhtar Ablyazov's UK lawyers and he could instruct their release to the court.

The court ordered Mukhtar Ablyazov to pay the plaintiffs attorneys' fees for depositions and associated procedures.

The BTA Bank claim against Kussainova in federal court is that she received more than $6 million of stolen BTA Bank funds from Mukhtar Ablyazov and used the stolen monies to buy business and real estate assets in the USA.

The Supreme Court of Seychelles ruled on 2011 October 13 that the English Receivership Order from the English High Court proceedings between BTA Bank and Mukhtar Ablyazov was enforceable in the jurisdiction of the Republic of Seychelles.

Mukhtar Ablyazov made two appeals: the first that the judge erred by wrongly applied law and that Mukhtar Ablyazov was not present and thereby denied the right to fair hearing.