Suspect detained for allegedly defrauding residents with apartment renovation promises

A Bishkek man who allegedly promised to renovate an apartment from start to finish took an advance payment and then disappeared without doing the work, according to police.

The resident who reported him said the contract, signed on May 21, covered renovations to an apartment on Gagarin Street. The agreed cost was 736,000 soms. The suspect allegedly gained the resident’s trust before taking $700 in cash and another 159,585 soms through a bank account.

Police said the payments totaled 220,800 soms. After receiving the money, the suspect allegedly failed to carry out the promised renovations and fled. More than 10 other residents have also contacted law enforcement, saying they suffered from similar actions. Investigators are still assessing the total amount of damage.

The Pervomaisky District Police Department opened a criminal case under Article 209 of Kyrgyzstan’s Criminal Code, which covers fraud. During investigative and operational-search measures, officers identified and detained a suspect born in 1997, identified as S.N. He was taken to the investigative service and placed in temporary detention under Articles 96 and 97 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

Police are asking anyone with information about the suspect’s alleged activities, as well as anyone who may have been affected, to file a report with law enforcement.