It should be noted that registered crimes under the money laundering article in Kazakhstan have increased almost twofold. This is the highest level in a decade, reports Ulysmedia.kz.
According to analysts from the First Credit Bureau, 140 cases of money laundering were recorded in 2025, which is 84% more compared to 2024. This is a record figure for the last ten years — such a number of cases under Article 218 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan has not been observed before. Out of the 140 registered crimes, 130, or 93%, are classified as serious.
Who commits money laundering in Kazakhstan?
Analysts noted that in 98 cases of money laundering, the cases have been completed, and 93 of them have been sent to court. 15 cases were removed from the register due to insufficient evidence. Throughout 2025, there were 172 cases under Article 218 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan, of which 121 were completed, and 116 were submitted to court. 42 individuals were recognized as suspects in criminal cases of money laundering in 2025. Half of them have higher education, and among the suspects are seven women. The majority, specifically 29 individuals, were over 30 years old at the time of committing the crime.
By profession, eight suspects worked as private entrepreneurs, two held positions as civil servants, and one was a worker. 24 individuals were registered as unemployed — this data was provided by the Credit Bureau. As a result, under Article 218 in 2025, 15 individuals were convicted, including five women. Seven received sentences involving imprisonment, while five were given restrictions on freedom.
In other cases, fines totaling 7.9 million tenge, conditional sentences, and deferments from serving sentences were imposed. The increase in the number of identified crimes under the money laundering article may be related to the disclosure of schemes for shadow cryptocurrency trading. Last year, the Financial Monitoring Agency reported the closure of 130 illegal cryptocurrency exchanges.
