Criminal Group Arrested for Selling Private Citizen Data to Debt Collectors

The National Security Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan has announced the dismantling of a criminal group suspected of the illegal collection and dissemination of citizens' personal data. Under the coordination of the Prosecutor's Office, a specialized operation was conducted in March across the cities of Astana and Almaty to terminate the group's activities.

According to investigation findings, the suspects profited from the sale of illegally obtained information via the internet. The primary buyers included representatives of microfinance organizations, debt collection agencies, and private individuals. A criminal case has been initiated, and investigations are currently proceeding under three specific articles: violation of privacy and personal data legislation, illegal acquisition of information, and the creation or distribution of malicious software.

During the search operations, authorities seized computer hardware, electronic data storage devices, significant sums of cash, and other physical evidence. The pre-trial investigation remains ongoing as officials work to determine the full scale of the breach and the total number of individuals affected.