The official representative of the Anti-Corruption Agency, Arman Tleukenov, revealed during a briefing on March 6th the allegations against former Vice Minister of Culture and Sports, Erlan Kozhagapanov. According to the spokesperson, Kozhagapanov is suspected of committing a serious corruption offense by lobbying for a contract with a commercial organization to organize the XV Forum of Interregional Cooperation between Kazakhstan and Russia in the city of Petropavlovsk in 2018. The budget for the forum was unjustifiably doubled, leading to the misuse of public funds.
It was reported that assets acquired with illegally obtained funds have been identified and seized. The detained individual has been remanded in custody for two months as a preventive measure by court order. The investigation is ongoing. On March 1st, it was announced that former Vice Minister of Culture and Sports, Erlan Kozhagapanov, was arrested on suspicion of corruption.
Kozhagapanov served as Vice Minister of Culture and Sports twice, from November 2017 to August 2019, and from April 2021 to September 2021. He also held positions as deputy mayor in Astana and Almaty in different years. From September 2021 to April 2022, he worked as an advisor to the Prime Minister.
