The State Committee for National Security thwarted a scheme of illegal loans and detained the owner of pawnshops.

According to information from law enforcement agencies, a citizen identified as S.M.A. was issuing loans to residents of Bishkek under terms that deliberately placed them in a state of bondage. The interest rates were so high that borrowers quickly found themselves in a difficult financial situation and were unable to repay their debts. As a result, methods of pressure and intimidation from the moneylender emerged.

During the investigation, it was established that S.M.A. used overdue debts as a pretext for illegally seizing clients' property, including apartments, land plots, and commercial properties. The transfer of ownership rights occurred through fictitious transactions involving controlled notaries and affiliated individuals.

The investigation also uncovered a circle of trusted individuals on whom a significant amount of property obtained through criminal means was registered. Additionally, there is information about possible connections with government agencies, which could complicate the protection of citizens' rights.

On January 14, the moneylender was detained, and the Pervomaisky District Court of Bishkek chose a measure of restraint in the form of detention in the GKNB pre-trial detention center. The investigation is ongoing, and his possible accomplices are currently being identified.

The GKNB emphasizes that the illegal activities of pawnshops and usury entail criminal liability.