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Kuanysh Zaksybayev. Kazakh TV clip from Mod.kz
A few years ago, 29-year-old entrepreneur Kuanysh Zhaksybaev came to prominence when he began to appear on television and the media compared him to computer technology geniuses Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg. The young man invented a mobile application called “Appport” that deserves close attention. It is a universal catalog of manufacturers of goods and services, an electronic platform where manufacturers and customers can find each other, a convenient mouthpiece for advertising and announcements, and even a means of non-cash payments. Zhaksybaev guarantees that the application is unique.
— Appport should include everything: entertainment venues, car washes, laundries, theaters and cinemas, advertising of factories and plants, information about discounts, etc. Aisara Aituganova, a Kazakh woman who believes in this new idea, says that using mobile applications it will be possible to make payments in electronic money, and the customers themselves will be able to take advantage of the bonus system.
As soon as the project was proposed, it was immediately hailed as an “ultra-modern innovation” not only in the field of IT technologies, but also in the field of small and medium-sized enterprises. They even began to talk about the development of Zhaksybayev within Programs Kazakhstan’s leadership in the country’s digital development. Judging by Appport’s PR campaign, the app should make Kazakhs proud of their domestic talent and even contribute to the country’s economic growth.
Screenshot of the video demonstration of the Appport application
This confidence is based, among other things, on information about Kuanysh Zhaksybaev himself. He came from a simple family and became an entrepreneur, although for family reasons he could not complete his studies at the Almaty Technical University (where he received a grant). He took computer courses, became a programmer, was one of the first in the country to install the Qiwi Wallet program on his laptop, created websites for small and medium-sized enterprises, and he himself said that confidence in his own abilities led him to the Access company. The fact that Kuanysh’s work seemed to include placing banners on websites did not particularly bother anyone.
The developer and his many supporters said that all the major mobile applications used by Kazakhs are foreign. If Apppot is launched in the CIS countries, it will not only attract a large amount of money into the Kazakh treasury, but also make up for the capital outflow from the country.
From words to actions
But no matter how unique the idea of creating a super app might seem, the IT specialist soon realized that he could not do it without additional financial investments. Therefore, he registered his own company “Unnnity Corporation” two years ago and announced a fundraising campaign.
Surprisingly, money flows like a river. Last but not least, powerful advertising of the new product published on social networks played a role. Those who want to invest in Zhaksybaev’s idea can choose between three packages: 35,000 tenge ($95), 70,000 tenge ($190) and 350,000 tenge ($956). In return, they can advertise on the Appport website for six months to five years, purchase goods and services at a discount, and so on. At the same time, those who respond and support the project are guaranteed that 10% of the transferred funds will be used for the development of the company, and the rest will be returned to investors in the form of future branding and promotion bonuses. Other advantages. There is also no prohibition on bringing “active persons”, on the condition of purchasing one of the three packages.
Advertising University. Photo from Aktobetimes.kz
As a result, in just a few months, more than 40,000 people, including foreigners, became so-called partners of the company, and in just three months, Unnnity accumulated at least 2.2 billion tenge in its accounts. This was the money of the unemployed, pensioners, lawyers, entrepreneurs and many others.
No money, no product
The widely publicized IT product was scheduled to be launched on August 10, 2017, but this plan never materialized. A day before the designated date, the demo version of Appport was removed from the Play Market, and Kuanysh Zhaksybaev himself was detained by agents. He was suspected of creating a financial pyramid and later of fraud.
Immediately thereafter, law enforcement agencies received complaints from victims, who were Zaksybayev’s former so-called partners, who actually invested money in his projects. Only 400 of the 40,000 depositors were identified as victims.
The investigation lasted a year. It soon became clear that Zaksybayev’s accountant had fled to Russia and embezzled tens of millions of tenge from the company’s accounts: the investigation did not reveal the exact amount. The accountant was recently detained and deported to Kazakhstan; investigative measures are reportedly being taken against him.
In the fall of 2018, Zaksybayev’s case finally went to trial. He was charged under part 3 of Article 217 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan (“Creation and management of a financial pyramid”), which provides for a sentence of 5 to 10 years in prison and confiscation of property. Zaksybayev disagreed with the charges against him.
– I didn’t meet Zaksybayev, I didn’t know. On the advice of my friends, I decided to invest 350,000 tenge, believing that I would make a profit in the future, “said the 60-year-old victim Dametken Sagieva in court. “She said that some kind of ‘port’ was opening, you just need to invest. I applied for a loan, went to their office, and a few days later the company was closed. They didn’t give me a check or a receipt, I didn’t receive any benefits or money. I don’t care about Zaksybayev, just ask him to return my 350,000 tenge.
Almagul Musralina also told the court about her cooperation with Unnnity Corporation. A 36-year-old Aktobe woman heard about the new application on social networks, after which she transferred 350,000 tenge to the specified details.
– As far as I know, the contract will be given later. Ten days later, my sister signed up. 20 thousand tenge has been deposited into the account. I am not asking for moral damages, and there is no need to punish Zaksybayev, just let him return my 350 thousand! – said Muslarina.
The defendant himself prohibited anyone from taking photos of him or recording the events with a camera during the trial.
“Let him come back and finish this.”
While some investors demanded a refund, others created a special initiative group on social networks and launched a massive campaign in support of the defendants. They demanded that Kuanysh Zhaksybaev be given the opportunity to complete the mobile application and finally launch it, thus proving the viability of Appport.
Supporters of Kuanysh Zhaksybayev. Photo from the Rikatv.kz website
The fact that the accused company promotes the “Digital Kazakhstan” national presidential policy is also believed by dozens of investors in the Unnnity company. As the members of the initiative wrote in an appeal to the Minister of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan Kalmukhabet Kasimov and the Chairman of the Civil Service and Anti-Corruption Agency Alik Shpekbayev, they believe that “their funds are under control,” and the investors themselves are interested in the development and prosperity of the Unnnity company, the result of which should be Appport – “the common interest of Kazakhstan.” Therefore, people asked politicians to “help immediately release the young leader of our domestic innovation and business, Kuanish Zaksybayev.”
– I believe in Zaksybayev. He is a true patriot of our country! – says investor Aisara Aytuganova. “He wants to do something useful within the framework of the Digital Kazakhstan program.” In addition, by launching Appport, the funds will remain in Kazakhstan.
— First, it is a domestic product. Second, Zhaksybayev is young. Third, the president said that digital technologies should be developed. The company is registered; the account is opened in a Kazakh bank, not a foreign one,” said another partner, Kulyaym Omarova. — How many smart people go abroad due to lack of support, but he seems to me to be smart.
Equally surprising is that many investors believed to be victims have now submitted notarized documents denying their claims for the return of their funds to the Aktobe City Court No. 2, which is hearing the case of Kuanysh Zhaksybaev.
— We have no complaints against Zaksybayev! — Now Aktobe residents Kulyaym Abisheva, Katira Kosmanova and many others assured the court.
At each trial, Zhaksybayev’s two lawyers also read out the names of the “refusals.”
Expertise: Application Validity
The case involved several examinations of the mobile application itself. One of them was made by the Aktobe Regional Institute of Forensic Identification. Here they carefully studied the application and on almost thirty sheets described not only its characteristics, but also very interesting information about the product itself. For example, the review wrote that the Appport application is a software based on operating systems for Android and IOS. It serves as a reference directory of companies and their offers and bonuses. The application is also available to any user. At the time of the study, the mobile application was fully functional.
At the same time, the review noted that there are currently many similar applications for mobile devices in the public domain. As an example, the expert cited the same Russian-made product “Concierge”, which after registration allows one to select the desired services, organization, discount promotions, place specific orders, etc., just like Appport.
In response to the survey’s question about the amount of financial investment in developing an Appport application, the expert said, “The amount of cost depends on the cost of office equipment for development, site rental, internet access, that is, the cost of electricity, consumables, and workers’ wages (if any).”
The trial continues.
Ryszhan Tulegenov, Aktobe
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