Dozens deceived, hundreds of thousands stolen: South Korea job scams uncovered across six regions of Uzbekistan

The nationwide sweep was executed by the Department for Combating Economic Crimes under the Prosecutor General’s Office in a joint operation with the Compliance Service of the Migration Agency. Investigations revealed a network of independent scammers operating under the pretext of possessing influential connections within state migration departments and language testing panels.

The largest individual case was uncovered in Kasan district of Kashkadarya region, where S.B., the head of an LLC, gained the trust of 48 citizens. By claiming he could secure foreign employment through high-ranking officials, he negotiated a total of $384,000 from the victims, successfully pocketing an initial $28,800. Authorities recovered UZS 5 million during operational procedures. Fraudulent activities were also reported in Karshi, where another suspect, S.B., took UZS 21.5 million and $600 from two individuals, while in Kitab district, two accomplices, N.R. and R.K., extorted $6,600 from a target under the guise of a $12,000 placement package, with UZS 2 million subsequently recovered.

In Fergana region, multiple recruitment rackets were dismantled. In Fergana district, a previously convicted individual, M.A., alongside an accomplice, Sh.T., promised three citizens passage to South Korea for $33,000, successfully extracting $22,000 before being apprehended. Law enforcement managed to secure the return of $1,200 of the stolen funds. In the city of Fergana, a separate investigation revealed that M.F. swindled two residents out of $6,000 as part of an agreed $20,000 fee, with $200 recovered at the time of arrest.

Parallel operations in Namangan region exposed a similar blueprint. In Chartak district, a suspect identified as Kh.Sh. took $19,000 from two victims by promising to bypass standard migration agency regulations and manipulate mandatory language qualification exams. In the neighboring Uchkurgan district, B.K. defrauded another jobseeker of $9,000.

Additional operations across the country halted similar activities. In Sherabad district of Surxondarya region, a broker, S.A., collected $24,000 from two applicants, while in Navoi region, an individual named B.N. defrauded three citizens of $22,200. Finally, in Jondor district of Bukhara region, a suspect, K.K., took $19,000 from three hopeful workers, of which UZS 2 million was recovered by investigators.

The Prosecutor General’s Office confirmed that criminal proceedings have been initiated against all implicated individuals. Charges have been filed under Article 168 of the Criminal Code of Uzbekistan, which penalizes fraud, as well as Articles 25 and 211, which govern attempted bribery and the mediation of bribes. Comprehensive investigative actions remain ongoing to establish the full scope of the illicit networks.