Kazakh ex-security chief’s samurai sword sells for thousands in asset auction
A samurai sword once owned by Karim Massimov, the former head of Kazakhstan's security service, has fetched a high price at an online auction. The sword was among luxury items seized as part of an asset recovery process following Massimov's conviction for treason and involvement in the January 2022 unrest. The auction, held in an open format, saw the sword sold for 542,719 tenge.
Massimov, who served as the chairman of Kazakhstan’s National Security Committee (KNB), was charged with treason on January 6, 2022. He resigned that day and was detained two days later. The investigation into his activities was completed in late August 2022, leading to his conviction on April 24, 2023. Initially sentenced to 18 years in prison, Massimov filed an appeal, but his clemency request was later rejected by Kazakhstan’s Presidential Commission on Pardon Issues.
In a surprising turn of events, an appellate court reduced Massimov's sentence. However, he was added to the list of individuals linked to terrorism financing, highlighting the ongoing scrutiny of his actions.
The samurai sword, a symbol of Massimov's past, has now changed hands, fetching a significant sum at the online auction. Despite his reduced sentence, Massimov remains under house arrest, and his future remains uncertain. The sale of the sword serves as a reminder of the ongoing asset recovery process and the consequences of Massimov's actions.
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