MYSTERY ON BAKER STREET: Brutal Kazakh official linked to £147m London property empire
Big chunks of Baker Street are owned by a mysterious figure with close ties to a former Kazakh secret police chief accused of murder and money-laundering.
The ability to hide and spend suspect cash overseas is a large part of what makes serious corruption and organised crime attractive. After all, it is difficult to stuff millions under a mattress. You need to be able to squirrel the money away in the
international financial system, and then find somewhere nice to spend it.
This briefing uncovers a troubling example of how London can be used by anyone wanting to hide their identity behind complex networks of companies and properties. Global Witness’ investigation reveals that a portfolio of real estate worth £147 million in well-known London locations appears to be currently owned by someone with ties to Rakhat Aliyev, a notorious figure from Kazakhstan, accused in the EU of money laundering and murder.
Global Witness’ investigations reveal numerous links between Rakhat Aliyev, Nurali Aliyev, and high-end London property. The majority of this property surrounds one of the city’s most famous addresses, the fictional home of Sherlock Holmes located at 221b Baker Street.1 The property included (until 2009) the freehold of the Beatles Store located at 231 Baker Street and the iconic Elvis Presley souvenir shop at 233 Baker Street.