Fake Nephew of Sadyr Japarov Detained in Kyrgyzstan
A man posing as an adviser and relative of Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov has been detained for attempting to seize a coal deposit worth approximately 50 million KGS ($572,000), the State Committee for National Security (SCNS) reported. According to security officials, the suspect falsely claimed to be a presidential adviser and Japarov’s "jeen" (nephew). He allegedly demanded that the mine be transferred to a foreign company, threatening the owner with arrest and citing supposed connections within law enforcement. He also claimed to have personal ties to the country’s leadership, using this assertion to pressure his target. The SCNS launched an investigation after receiving a complaint from a citizen who reported that an individual, along with an accomplice, was attempting to take over a coal deposit by exploiting the president’s name. Authorities confirmed that the suspects had no actual connection to Japarov or his family. Both individuals were arrested and placed in the SCNS pre-trial detention center. Investigators are now looking into the potential involvement of additional accomplices and are examining whether the detainees have committed similar crimes. This is not the first case of someone misusing presidential ties for personal gain. In the summer of 2024, media reports surfaced about the arrest of Ulan Japarov, an actual nephew of the president. According to reports, he allegedly accepted more than $100,000 in exchange for promising to secure an appointment as a presidential plenipotentiary representative in one of Kyrgyzstan’s regions. However, when he failed to deliver on his promise, he was arrested by the SCNS. He was later released under house arrest.