Prosecutors in Kazakhstan’s Mangistau Region have uncovered the embezzlement of more than 600 million tenge (over $1,216,339) in the healthcare sector.

Audits revealed widespread schemes involving fictitious medical services, payments for non-existent deliveries of medicines and medical supplies, and the transfer of budget funds to organizations that failed to meet required standards, The Caspian Post reports via Kazakh media.

Investigators said the money was siphoned off by substituting bank details and routing payments to affiliated accounts.

“Facts of payments for services not rendered and medicines and medical products not supplied have been established,” the prosecutor’s office said.

Pre-trial investigations have been launched into the identified violations, with special prosecutors now handling the case.