How the scheme operated

According to the verdict, the group was led by 44-year-old J.N., a resident of Syrdarya region who had previously been convicted of fraud and other crimes.

Other members included 41-year-old Sh.M. and 42-year-old M.Z. from Andijan region, 51-year-old D.J. from Jizzakh region, and several others.

The group's activities followed a coordinated scheme. J.N. presented himself as a person with close connections to the president's family, while the other members were responsible for finding clients by promising to resolve various issues for payment through their alleged high-level contact.

For example, M.Z. would approach potential clients and claim that their problems could be solved through J.N., who was introduced as someone close to the president's family. The clients were then referred directly to J.N.

Using this method, the group deceived multiple victims over several years.

$25,000 demanded for a government position

One of the earliest documented cases dates back to the spring of 2021, when the group persuaded a man identified as M.D. that they could secure his appointment as head of the state-owned enterprise responsible for regular bridge maintenance in Asaka district.

They demanded $25,000 for the appointment and insisted on an advance payment of $10,000.

During their meetings, J.N. introduced himself as a person close to the president's family and threatened M.D., saying that refusing to pay could have negative consequences for him and his relatives.

As a result, M.D. sold his Chevrolet Captiva for $10,000. The money was obtained through extortion and later spent on the group's personal needs, according to the verdict.

Promise of an UZS 280 billion railway contract

In December 2022, the group targeted businessman D.D., who imported spare parts for trains and railway carriages from abroad.

They promised to arrange a contract worth UZS 280 billion with the national railway company, Uzbekistan Railways, for the supply of spare parts. Through fraudulent means, they collected a total of $119,500 from the businessman in several payments and spent the money for personal purposes.

In another episode in February 2023, the group again deceived the same victim by offering to sell him a Toyota Land Cruiser 200 for $75,000. They received an advance payment of $45,000 for the vehicle.

$100,000 requested for a New Tashkent construction project

The group also defrauded Russian citizen V.A., who owned a construction company.

J.N. again claimed to be closely connected to the president's family and told the businessman that he had access to land plots in New Tashkent where they could jointly build apartment blocks for substantial profit.

To obtain construction permits and complete the necessary paperwork, the group requested $100,000. They received an advance payment of $40,000 from the investor, which was later spent on personal expenses.

Farmers also targeted

The court documents describe several cases involving farmers in Khorezm region.

In February 2025, J.N. and his accomplices promised the head of a farming enterprise in Gurlan district that they could secure a favorable court ruling in a land dispute concerning the return of farmland. Through this scheme, they fraudulently obtained $14,000.

In another case, they collected $44,000 from a farmer after promising to change the designated use of agricultural land from cotton cultivation to rice farming.

Prison sentences upheld on appeal

On March 12, 2026, the Balykchi District Court for Criminal Cases found the defendants guilty of extortion, fraud, and bribery-related offences.

The group's leader, J.N., was sentenced to 10 years and seven months in prison, while the remaining defendants received prison terms of varying lengths.

An appellate court later upheld the prison sentences imposed by the trial court without changes.