In the foothills of the Trans-Ili Alatau lies a nearly four-hectare plot of land surrounded by mountain air and dense forests. As noted by the publication Orda.kz, this land repeatedly changed hands among companies, many of which are affiliated with Timur Kulibayev. Essentially, the plot circulated in a closed circle of related structures, which ultimately became the basis for a legal dispute with the state. Orda.kz’s investigation uncovered the details of this corporate chain based on court materials.
The plot adjoins the territory of the sanatorium now known as Almaty Resort. The resort’s official website highlights its unique location at the foot of the Trans-Ili Alatau at an altitude of 1,052 meters above sea level: it features walking terrenkurs, a diverse forest array beneficial for respiratory health, and mineral water from a source 3,000 meters deep containing a prophylactic dose of natural iodine, emerging at a temperature of 42 °C.
It was around one of the plots in this picturesque area that the state waged a protracted legal battle.
How It All Began: State Land and the Sanatorium
The story dates back to 2007, when the sanatorium’s territory was in the Almaty Region. The akim of Karasai District transferred a 25.3790-hectare plot to JSC “Sanatorium Almaty” for sanatorium-resort construction under a sale agreement for 12,181,920 tenge. A year later, the land was divided: 21.1790 hectares remained with the sanatorium, while 4.2 hectares were put up for auction.
Two companies participated in the auction — LLP “Bar Tas Holding” and LLP “KZ Real Estate Group”. The latter won, purchasing the land in 2008 for 2,024,568,000 tenge with the obligation to build a multidisciplinary clinical hospital. However, the clinic never materialized, and the land soon began migrating between companies.
An Auction Without Real Competition
As a prosecutor’s inspection revealed 17 years later, the auction was conducted with serious violations. According to state revenue authorities, neither participant matched the land’s designated purpose (health-improving use for a sanatorium):
- LLP “KZ Real Estate Group” specialized in residential construction;
- LLP “Bar Tas Holding” — in geological exploration.
Despite this mismatch, both companies were admitted to the bidding. Orda.kz’s investigation established that the participants were linked through LLP “Kipros”, owned by Timur Kulibayev. Under such conditions, real competition was out of the question — the auction was purely formal. In 2008, these inconsistencies were apparently overlooked.
The plot’s subsequent fate resembled a circular route:
- On April 17, 2012, LLP “KZ Real Estate Group” transferred the land to the foreign company Eastwest Invest Group S.A. (registered on Nevis Island) to settle a debt.
- On May 25, 2012, the offshore sold the plot to LLP “Kipros” for $3.5 million USD.
In 2014, by presidential decree, the plot was annexed to Almaty, and its area reduced to 3.9940 hectares. On November 27, 2017, JSC “Sanatorium Almaty” was reorganized and incorporated as a branch of the “Ok-Zhetpes” health-improving complex, fully owned by the Medical Center of the Presidential Affairs Department.
By then, construction had begun on the plot. On October 6, 2017, “Kipros” contributed the land with unfinished construction to the authorized capital of its subsidiary Emdey Group, valuing the asset at 516,231,000 tenge. Twenty days later, Emdey Group transferred it to its “daughter” company — LLP “Mediluxe”. As emphasized by Orda.kz, despite numerous resales and transfers, the land remained under the control of the same circle of affiliated companies linked to Kulibayev.
Where the Plot Is Located
The plot was located on the public cadastral map and in 2GIS: it lies between Almaty Resort and the Zhailjau golf resort. 2GIS also features photos of an abandoned construction site — likely the very unfinished clinical hospital. Notably, in 2023, one user commented on the location: “Shaldyń saraıy” (roughly translating to “The old man’s palace” in Kazakh, often used sarcastically).
The prosecutor’s interest in the plot was no coincidence. A review of land legislation compliance quickly showed the sale’s dubious nature from the start. As noted by Orda.kz, the Almaty Prosecutor’s Office established the unlawful transfer of land to private ownership without approval from the state as the sanatorium’s sole shareholder. There was no written consent from the state property committee, no confirmation of its representatives on the board, and the sale decision was not approved by the shareholders’ meeting as required by the charter.
The prosecutor demanded to invalidate all transactions from 2008 to 2017 and return the plot to the sanatorium. The court agreed and issued a corresponding ruling in December 2025.
Following the January 2022 events and the announced policy of asset recovery, Nursultan Nazarbayev’s son-in-law began facing losses. The state has systematically reclaimed lands owned by Kulibayev-linked companies — almost all in the most expensive and strategically advantageous locations. Over the past three years, plots on the KazNU territory, as well as lands in Atyrau and Mangistau regions, have been returned to state ownership, not to mention other assets including major oil facilities. In early December, the company managing returned assets put Kulibayev’s company shares up for sale. Against this backdrop, the story of the land at the foot of the Trans-Ili Alatau is not an exception but another link in a series of high-profile recoveries.
Source: https://orda.kz/kak-rajskaja-zemlja-v-almaty-okazalas-v-rukah-kulibaeva-i-pochemu-gosudarstvo-otobralo-ee-cherez-17-let-410335/
