The Pervomaisky District Court of Bishkek completed investigation of one of the criminal cases against the managers of Ayu LLC. The director of the company Tynybek Isaev and his subordinates were found guilty under several articles of the Criminal Code, but he was acquitted of the charge of money laundering.
Tynybek Isaev is a relative of the alcohol magnate Sharshenbek Abdykerimov. By the court’s verdict, he was acquitted under Articles 261 «Creation of an organized group or participation in it» and 222 «Money laundering» of the Criminal Code of the Kyrgyz Republic due to the absence of corpus delicti.
At the same time, the director of Ayu was found guilty under Article 238 «Counterfeiting excise stamps» of the Criminal Code of the Kyrgyz Republic. He was sentenced to imprisonment for three years, but was released from it due to the amnesty.
The court also acquitted three more employees of the company under the article on money laundering. However, they were found guilty of illegal production of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The court sentenced them to imprisonment for two years and, having applied amnesty, released them from punishment.
Two more people were found not guilty of illegal production of alcohol and alcoholic beverages and acquitted due to the absence of corpus delicti in their actions.
Earlier, the President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov in an interview with Kabar news agency said that Ayu distillery would be nationalized. According to him, the company allegedly hid taxes and was engaged in alcohol smuggling.
One of the richest people in the country, businessman Sharshenbek Abdykerimov owns Ayu company. He has five companies. He is the only founder in two — Ak-Saray peasant farm, which breeds cattle, and Frunze Resort construction company. He is a co-founder in the other three. The former deputy also has shares in Ayu LLC, General Management Company and Ayu Construction company.
According to data for 2020, Frunze Resort made the most contributions to the budget — 1,126,810 soms, followed by Ak-Saray farm — 406,892 soms. Ayu LLC paid only 490,000 soms.
