Navoi resident sentenced for attempting to join Russian army to settle gambling debts

According to court documents reviewed by Kun.uz, J.Z.’s financial troubles began during his university years in Tashkent. In 2023, while driving a friend's Cobalt, he was involved in a traffic accident. To cover the repair costs, he borrowed UZS 20 million from acquaintances, eventually turning to a private moneylender with high interest rates to repay them. To manage the interest, he took out a bank loan of UZS 9.8 million, sparking a cycle of debt that quickly spiraled out of control.

By the time J.Z. graduated, his debts totaled approximately UZS 35 million. In May 2024, he borrowed $5,000 from a business acquaintance in Navoi. Instead of clearing his existing obligations, he placed the majority of the funds into online gambling platforms like 1Xbet, hoping for a quick windfall to settle all his debts. Instead, he lost the entire amount, effectively doubling his financial burden.

His family initially attempted to intervene. His mother sold her gold jewelry and took out a loan to help him repay UZS 90 million in debts he had accrued from a relative. However, J.Z. continued to gamble. Even after finding work in a pharmaceutical distribution company in Samarkand, he misappropriated UZS 24 million from a pharmacy to place more bets, all of which were lost. At one point, J.Z. admitted in court that his mental health deteriorated to the point where he contemplated suicide, only to be stopped by his wife.

In July 2025, J.Z. began searching for high–paying jobs in Russia via social media. He stated that nearly every fourth or fifth advertisement he encountered was related to participation in the war against Ukraine. The promise of significant financial reward appeared to be his only exit from a debt of nearly UZS 90 million.

J.Z. contacted a recruiter via WhatsApp who promised him a total of 5 million rubles (approximately $53,000) over the course of a year, alongside Russian citizenship. The two parties maintained regular contact, discussing the necessary documents and the military training he would receive at a Russian polygon before being deployed to the frontlines. J.Z. eventually agreed to the terms and purchased a flight ticket to Moscow.

The planned departure was thwarted by J.Z.’s family. His wife alerted his mother after discovering his correspondence and the purchased flight ticket. In a desperate move to save her son, the mother hid his international passport. Despite J.Z. attempting to reschedule his flight from the evening of July 11 to the early morning of July 12, he was unable to leave without his documents.

His mother subsequently contacted the Karmana District Department of Internal Affairs, seeking their help to prevent him from leaving the country and entering a war zone.

On March 4, 2026, the Karmana District Criminal Court found J.Z. guilty under Article 25 and Part 1 of Article 154 of the Criminal Code (Attempted Mercenary Activity). Applying Article 57 of the Criminal Code, the court sentenced him to four years of restricted freedom. Under the terms of his sentence, J.Z. is prohibited from leaving the Navoi region, changing his place of residence without official permission, or using the internet for purposes other than those deemed strictly necessary.