Suspect Arrested Over Alleged Apartment Renovation Scam

Police in Bishkek have detained a suspect accused of taking advance payments for apartment renovations and then disappearing without doing the promised work.

The case began after a woman identified as N.S. contacted the investigative service of the Pervomaisky District police department on August 14. She said a man had signed a contract with her on May 21 to renovate her apartment on Gagarin Street on a turnkey basis. The contract was worth 736,000 soms.

According to her complaint, the man received a $700 cash advance and 159,585 soms transferred to a bank account. Police say he took a total of 220,800 soms, failed to complete the work and went into hiding. More than 10 other people have also approached law enforcement, reporting that they allegedly suffered from similar actions. The total damage is still being established.

Investigative and operational measures led Pervomaisky District officers to a suspect identified as S.N., born in 1997. He was taken to the investigative service and placed in a temporary detention facility under Articles 96 and 97 of Kyrgyzstan’s Criminal Procedure Code. Authorities opened a criminal case under Article 209, which covers fraud, and urged anyone with information or possible additional complaints to contact police.