Ilyas Khrapunov found guilty in New York trial

On Aug. 6, 2025, the Federal District Court for the Southern District of New York found Ilyas Khrapunov in contempt of court. The ruling was in favor of the city of Almaty and BTA Bank JSC, which brought the case.

Judge John G. Koeltl ruled that Khrapunov had violated a previous order requiring him to regularly provide information about his assets. This is not his first violation — in an earlier case, he was also found guilty of contempt and ordered to pay $221,285.31.

Under the new ruling, Khrapunov must provide full and regular reports on his finances and activities to comply with court orders. If he fails to do so, he will face further financial penalties. He must also reimburse the plaintiffs for legal costs caused by his non-compliance.

The case has drawn international attention because of its link to major financial disputes. The city of Almaty and BTA Bank continue to push for enforcement of court decisions, stressing the importance of upholding the rule of law.

Ilyas Khrapunov was born in Almaty but has lived in Geneva, Switzerland, since the age of 14. He studied at the prestigious Institut Le Rosey boarding school and later at Webster University, where he earned two bachelor’s degrees — in business administration and international relations — and a master’s degree.

He is the son of Leyla Khrapunova, wife of Viktor Khrapunov, the former mayor of Almaty, who was sentenced in absentia to 17 years in prison in 2018 for embezzlement and corruption.

Ilyas Khrapunov is married to the daughter of Mukhtar Ablyazov, the former Kazakh banker and opposition politician. He remains a defendant in several criminal cases in different countries, linked to allegations of money laundering by Viktor Khrapunov and Mukhtar Ablyazov in Kazakhstan.