A woman in Astana who promised parents she would get their children into kindergarten has been sentenced to prison for defrauding nine families, who together transferred 590,000 tenge to her, infohub.kz reports.
The city prosecutor's office described the scheme. According to case materials, over eight months the woman used the 2GIS app to find parents seeking to enroll their children in preschool. After contacting them, she offered her services and assured them she could secure kindergarten places through acquaintances.
The parents who trusted her transferred a total of 590,000 tenge. Nine parents were defrauded.
"The court sentenced her to 4 years in prison. The victims' civil claims were satisfied," the prosecutor's office said.
Kazakhstan citizens were urged to remain vigilant and to address kindergarten placement issues exclusively through official portals and authorized government agencies.