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A high-ranking officer within Kazakhstan's National Security Committee (KNB), Colonel Denis Ankudimov, has been convicted of bribery and abuse of power, resulting in an 11-year prison sentence. Ankudimov, who served for over 25 years, was found guilty of attempting to extort $500,000 from a local entrepreneur.

Targeting a Businessman

Ankudimov was appointed Deputy Head of the KNB's Mangystau regional department in May 2023. Just two months later, he reportedly began focusing his attention on a local businessman named Aneza Sadu, whose wealth apparently caught the colonel's eye. To facilitate his criminal scheme, Ankudimov enlisted the help of a friend, Konstantin Alferov, an auditor in the aviation security department at the Aktau airport.

Fabricating Compromising Information

Using his official KNB computer, Ankudimov gathered sensitive personal information about Sadu, including details about his family members and business associates. Between August 9 and October 13, 2023, the colonel compiled fabricated compromising material alleging that Sadu had violated tax and environmental laws.

The Extortion Attempt

Alferov was tasked with delivering the fabricated evidence to Sadu, along with a note marked with "500,000" in green marker. He then contacted Sadu, demanding the money be paid within three days. Although Sadu agreed to pay, he secretly alerted the police. On October 26, Alferov arranged to meet Sadu near the airport to collect the funds. Sadu presented a 500,000 tenge envelope instead of the full amount, at which point law enforcement attempted to apprehend Alferov. He managed to escape initially but was later tracked down by police using special equipment and cameras, reportedly fleeing in a Lexus vehicle.

Court Verdict

During the trial, Colonel Ankudimov denied the charges, asserting his long and loyal service. However, Serikkali Berdibekov, the presiding judge at the Specialized Inter-District Criminal Court of Mangystau region, did not accept his defense. The court sentenced Colonel Ankudimov to 11 years in prison, stripped him of his special rank, and banned him from holding public office for life. His accomplice, Alferov, received an eight-year sentence. Both men were also ordered to compensate the victim for moral damages and cover legal costs.

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