$5 million withdrawn from Manas Airport, criminal case opened

A criminal case was opened on withdrawal of $ 5 million from Manas International Airport OJSC in 2014. The State Service for Combating Economic Crimes informed 24.kg news agency.
The state service reportedly revealed a fact of withdrawal of money through offshore companies. The investigation found out that persons holding senior managerial positions at Manas International Airport OJSC in 2014 entered into a deliberately unprofitable agreement to acquire 100 percent of shares of a practically bankrupt and unprofitable Toplivny Tsentr CJSC, located in the territory of the airport. The fact was registered in the Unified Register of Crimes and Offences.
"In December 2014, Manas International Airport OJSC received a commercial offer from the company F.S.L., the director of which is a citizen of Cyprus, to acquire a 100 percent stake in Toplivny Tsentr CJSC for $ 7 million. Consideration of the commercial proposal was entrusted to the head of the Legal Department of Manas International Airport OJSC B.M. and the Director of the Financial and Economic Directorate A.Zh. They, having allegedly examined the activities of Toplivny Tsentr CJSC, drew up a fictitious official note in which they indicated that the enterprise was profitable and had no debt obligations," the State Service for Combatting Economic Crimes says.
In fact, Toplivny Tsentr CJSC was bankrupt, since its debts exceeded assets.
Then, the Board of Directors of Manas International Airport approved the proposal to acquire Toplivny Tsentr CJSC on the basis of this official note on December 25, 2014. And on the next day, the Board of Manas International Airport OJSC made a decision on acquisition of a 100 percent stake of the CJSC for $ 5 million.
"On the same day, an agreement was signed between Manas International Airport OJSC, represented by Chairperson of the Board I.A., and the company F.S.L., represented by the director of the company E.K. Just a couple of days later, funds from the account of Manas International Airport OJSC were transferred to the accounts of two offshore companies. At the same time, the cost of the shares of the enterprise at the time of sale was only 100,000 soms.
Investigation found out that some B.A.T. became a beneficial owner, that is, the true recipient of the money. The former head of the Legal Department of Manas International Airport OJSC B.M was detained on suspicion of committing a crime under Article 205 (embezzlement of entrusted property on especially large scale) of the Criminal Code of the Kyrgyz Republic on September 30, 2019 in the framework of a case investigated by the investigation authorities. He was placed in a pretrial detention center of the Main Internal Affairs Department of Bishkek," the Financial police said.