“Guangzhou” clinic doctors penalized for defrauding around 100 patients in Tashkent

According to court documents obtained by Kun.uz, He Qiang was apprehended in Kazakhstan on 19 December 2024, and He Feng on 27 November 2024. Both were extradited to Uzbekistan. The father and son had been employed at the Tashkent-based clinic since November 2020.

During their tenure at the clinic, He Qiang and He Feng allegedly misled patients by claiming they could cure illnesses with acupuncture and special herbal remedies, while administering substandard medications. They then divided the payments received among themselves for personal use.

One example cited in court involved a patient, B.N., who sought treatment at the clinic. He Qiang claimed the patient would recover through acupuncture and special medicines but delivered low-quality drugs instead, pocketing UZS 5.55 million.

In total, the father and son defrauded around 100 individuals, obtaining varying amounts of money which they shared between them.

He Qiang admitted his guilt in court. He stated that he and his son came to Tashkent in November 2020 to work at the clinic organized by acquaintances Li Jun Chao and Zhao Dan. He noted that he had the relevant certification to provide acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine treatments and earned a monthly salary of $1,300. He left the clinic in mid-2021 due to unpaid wages and returned to China with his son in March–April 2022.

He Qiang also acknowledged that he had provided patients with herbal-based Chinese medicines but did not communicate with all of them. He confirmed that the material damages had been covered and that no toxic or chemical drugs had been used, requesting leniency from the court. He Feng gave similar testimony.

Victims reported seeking treatment at the clinic for various ailments but received no cure. One victim recounted paying UZS 2.5 million for acupuncture and herbal treatment following a car accident and suffering continued pain despite attending sessions. Another reported paying UZS 10.3 million for treatment of their child’s hand condition, without improvement.

The court found that while He Qiang and He Feng committed serious crimes, they did not endanger human health with chemical drugs. Considering the principles of fairness, humanity, and accountability, the court imposed fines instead of prison sentences.

The Bektemir District Criminal Court, on 29 August 2025, ruled that both were guilty under Article 168, Part 3(b) (fraud), and Article 186-3, Part 2(b, c) (production and distribution of substandard or counterfeit medicines and medical products outside pharmacies, including prescription drugs with strong effects). He Qiang was fined 33,210,000 UZS (123 times the base calculation), and He Feng 30,240,000 UZS (112 times the base calculation), to be collected for the state.

The pre-trial detention for both was lifted, and they were released in the courtroom under a conduct pledge.

Victims’ total material losses of UZS 381,402,000 are to be covered using UZS 300 million initially paid by Zhao Dan during the preliminary investigation and UZS 107 million recovered during a search of “Guangzhou Medical of China.”

Part of the criminal case is being handled separately, with additional suspects currently sought.

The “Guangzhou” clinic case initially began in April 2022 after videos emerged showing the clinic allegedly deceiving patients into paying UZS 2–3 million for locally manufactured medicines.