Kapeno was detained in August 2025. After the events of January, Kazakhstan and Russia declared him wanted internationally. Russia suspects him of involvement in fraud and embezzlement, however, Kazakhstan has not yet presented official charges.
“At Interpol's request, an international search was initiated — based on the statement of Balushkin (a fugitive Kazakh businessman — ed. note). Kapeno was detained, but then released due to the lack of necessary documents from Kazakhstan,”
said lawyer Zhanna Aleksandrova.
The lawyer claims that the charges against Kapeno are unfounded. An expert examination conducted at her request did not confirm the existence of damage from the actions of her client.
“These are civil law disputes — issues of transactions and settlements, yet he is being accused of fraud. These issues should have been resolved in a civil court, not by initiating a criminal case. We have catastrophically low quality of investigation. There are serious professional violations. In international cases, this is immediately apparent. First, charges are brought, and then damage is established. Everything is done the other way around. A foreign authority sees that the case is not completed and refuses extradition,” noted the human rights defender.
Kapeno spent a month in the UAE under detention and was released as the authorities had no grounds for his continued detention. Furthermore, such cases through Interpol can drag on for years. The lawyer asserts that Kapeno is not evading justice, participating in online hearings and providing his address, despite the ongoing search.
“Why search for a person for two years if you know where he is?” the lawyer poses the question.
Family, Children, and Property
Kapeno has long lived in the Emirates, where his children are located. In 2023, he renounced his Russian citizenship and obtained a passport from Kyrgyzstan. He also has a residence permit in the UAE.
“He is not hiding. During the proceedings, there have been more than 50 court sessions in which he tried to gain the right to communicate with his children. Azamat even filed a statement claiming that his children were kidnapped,”
added the lawyer.
As previously reported by Orda.kz, Kapeno spent three years in Moscow suing Masimov's daughter, Tamila Karim, over custody and property issues. It was reported that he might have owned a house in Serebryany Bor, a mansion in Zhukovka, and an apartment in the city center.
The judicial authorities in the UAE established a schedule for the children to spend time with both parents: two weeks with the father and two weeks with the mother, which indirectly indicates that the Masimov family also resides in Dubai.
Kazakhstan Cannot Retrieve Many Fugitives
The situation with Kapeno is just one of many instances where Kazakhstan cannot achieve the extradition of major figures in criminal cases.
For example, Kairat Kozhamzharov, the former head of the Anti-Corruption Service, has been missing, and his whereabouts are still unknown.
A recent case involving his protégé Maksat Duyssenov, detained in Germany, also did not end in extradition. Despite all the efforts of the authorities, the case has reached a deadlock.
One should not forget about Anatoly Balushkin, whose extradition to Kazakhstan was prohibited by the Russian Prosecutor General's Office. In April, he was sentenced in absentia to nine years for fraud.
Perhaps the most well-known fugitive is Mukhtar Ablyazov, who has been living in Europe for over ten years, ignoring Kazakhstan's requests. Despite the status revoked from him as a political emigrant and the imposed fines, he continues to freely conduct his activities.
