In a video shared on social media on November 9, a group of workers who said they had been employed on Imarat projects described how they had carried out installation and flooring work at the company's construction sites without receiving their wages.
One of them directly addressed actress Shahzoda Muhammedova, urging her to pay attention to the workers' plight rather than focusing solely on her husband, who is caught up in the scandal.
"Instead of shedding tears and insisting that her husband is innocent, she should come here and see the people who have been left with nothing. Construction workers who worked on the project have not been paid. Thousands of people are suffering," she said.
The person who posted the video also drew attention to the homebuyers affected by the scandal, many of whom are women who say they trusted Muhammedova when she promoted the company's developments. He questioned the practice of buying apartments before construction is complete on the strength of endorsements by celebrities.
The dispute has already prompted criminal proceedings against Imarat Development's management on suspicion of fraud and abuse of authority. The company's head, Marat Hamdamov, has been remanded in custody as a preventive measure.
Buyers say the company failed to hand over apartments by the deadlines set out in their contracts. Many have also struggled to recover the money they paid.
Muhammedova, who previously served as Imarat Development's brand ambassador, has released a video statement of her own, portraying herself as another person affected by the company's collapse.
Tashkent City Prosecutor Anvar Urmonov and Interior Ministry officials have since met with affected buyers. They urged those who had paid for apartments in Imarat developments to submit formal applications, attaching copies of their contracts.
