Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Kazakh family win Unexplained Wealth Order battle over London homes

Two members of Kazakhstan's political elite have won a High Court challenge against Unexplained Wealth Orders.

The orders centred on three multimillion-pound London homes worth more than £80m and owned by the daughter and grandson of the former Kazakh president.

After winning the court challenge, the pair said they felt "vindicated".

The National Crime Agency - which obtained the orders to seize their homes last May - said it will appeal.

The three London homes are owned for the benefit of Nurali Aliyev and his leading Kazakh politician mother, Dariga Nazarbayeva.

The National Crime Agency suspected all three of the mega properties in London were bought with riches embezzled by Mr Aliyev's notorious and now dead father, Rakhat Aliyev.

Rakhat Aliyev once styled himself "Godfather-in-law" and was accused of crimes including murder, before his own death in prison.

Mr Aliyev and Dr Nazarbayeva denied all wrongdoing and said they can prove independent and legitimate wealth for their UK property investments. They applied to the High Court to discharge the UWOs.

Giving judgment remotely on Wednesday, Mrs Justice Lang overturned all three of the orders.

She ruled that "the NCA's assumption" that Rakhat Aliyev was the source of the money used to buy the three properties was "unreliable".


What are Unexplained Wealth Orders?


Unexplained Wealth Orders were powers brought into force in January 2018 in the fight against suspected criminal money invested in property.

National Crime Agency investigators can use UWOs to require owners to disclose how they managed to buy a luxury home.

If they do not agree with the explanation, they can then ask the courts to confiscate it.

UWOs are sometimes known as "McMafia laws" - named after the BBC organised crime drama based on a book.


What are the three properties?


The properties were identified in an investigation by BBC News, Finance Uncovered and Transparency International into the ownership of London property by members of Kazakhstan's political elite.

A high security mansion at 33 The Bishops Avenue in Hampstead - one of the most expensive roads in Britain known as "Billionaires' Row". The 10-bedroom home has an underground pool, "tropical showers", a glass domed roof, a dedicated cinema and separate quarters for staff
A mega apartment in a luxury secure development at 21 Manresa Road, Chelsea, constructed following a multi-million pound merger of two already enormous flats
Another secure mansion at 32 Denewood Road, Highgate, a private cul-de-sac with views over one of London's most exclusive golf clubs
The judge added there was "cogent evidence" that Dr Nazarbayeva and Nurali Aliyev had founded the companies which owned the homes, and provided the money to pay for them.

In a statement, Nurali Aliyev called the NCA's investigation "flawed" and "entirely without merit".

"The NCA deliberately ignored the relevant information I voluntarily provided and pursued a groundless and vicious legal action, including making shocking slurs against me, my family and my country," he said.

A spokesman for Dr Nazarbayeva added: "Today's judgment has entirely vindicated Dr Nazarbayeva. She is pleased that the court has agreed with her that the NCA's investigations were flawed and that she has not been involved in any wrongdoing.

"It is frustrating and disappointing that she has had to take this action to fight these draconian proceedings and clear her name."


'NCA is tenacious'


Graeme Biggar, the head of the NCA's national economic crime centre, said they "always expected there would be significant legal challenge" over the use of UWOs.

"We disagree with this decision to discharge the UWOs and will be filing an appeal. These hearings will establish the case law on which future judgments will be based, so it is vital that we get this right," he said.

"The NCA is tenacious. We have been very clear that we will use all the legislation at our disposal to pursue suspected illicit finance and we will continue to do so."

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Trump Says Ukraine Can Fully Restore Borders with NATO Backing
Europe Signals Stronger Support for Taiwan at Major Taipei Defence Show
Germany Weighs Excluding France from Key European Fighter Jet Programme
Cyberattack Disrupts Check-in and Boarding Systems at Major European Airports
Björn Borg Breaks Silence: Memoir Reveals Addiction, Shame and Cancer Battle
When Extremism Hijacks Idealism: How the Baader-Meinhof Gang Emerged and Fell
JWST Data Brings TRAPPIST-1e Closer to Earth-Like Habitability
Trump Orders $100,000 Fee on H-1B Visas and Launches ‘Gold Card’ Immigration Pathway
France’s Looming Budget Crisis and Political Fracture Raise Fears of Becoming Europe’s “Sick Man”
Three Russian MiG-31 Jets Breach Estonian Airspace in ‘Unprecedentedly Brazen’ NATO Incident
European manufacturers against ban on polluting cars: "The industry may collapse"
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
Christian Brueckner Released from German Prison after Serving Unrelated Sentence
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
The conservative right spreads westward: a huge achievement for 'Alternative for Germany' in local elections
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
The Country That Got Too Rich? Public Spending Dominates Norway Election
EU Proposes Phasing Out Russian Oil and Gas by End of 2027 to End Energy Dependence
×