Kazakh student missing in U.S. for 5 years found - CIP President

ASTANA. KAZINFORM - Bolashak scholarship recipient Yerzhan Yelikov who reportedly disappeared in the U.S. has been found, President of JSC "Center for International Programs" (CIP) Zhanbolat Meldeshov told a press conference at the Central Communications Service in Astana on Thursday.

According to Meldeshov, Yelikov's father - Serik can now contact his son.

"Well, his father told us he couldn't contact his son. We found him. Yerzhan lives in the U.S. We gave his contact details - phone number and address to his father," Meldeshov told the press conference.

Earlier it was reported that Yerzhan Yelikov had disappeared without a trace in the U.S. five years ago. He was majoring in gene engineering at a university in Pennsylvania and went missing there.

According to the CIP, Yerzhan was a low-performing student and the university he attended expelled him. Under the regulations of the Bolashak scholarship he would have to return money spent on his education abroad, so Yerzhan decided not to return home. His parents now owe the Government of Kazakhstan at least 19 million tenge.