The Department for Combating Economic Crimes under the General Prosecutor's Office of Uzbekistan has uncovered a large-scale financial fraud scheme in the Fergana region, the press service reported.

According to the investigation, citizens M.Kh., M.Kh., and K.I. conspired to create special groups on Telegram. Through these groups, they sold purchase receipts belonging to 7 limited liability companies to individuals with a 1% cashback and to citizens included in the social protection registry with a 12% cashback.

The scheme relied on forged documents: although the 7 companies did not conduct any actual financial or economic activities, fake electronic invoices were issued for allegedly sold goods and services worth 3.3 trillion soums (approximately $270 million).

Subsequently, funds were shown as being received through online cash registers, and fake purchase receipts were issued. As a result, 211,584 citizens were credited with a total cashback amount of 28.5 billion soums (about $2.3 million) via the Tax app.

Of these funds, 3.2 billion soums (about $260,000) were actually paid from the state budget and embezzled by the conspirators through misappropriation and squandering.

A criminal case has been initiated against the members of the criminal group under Articles 167 (Embezzlement or misappropriation) and 228 (Forgery, sale, or use of documents, stamps, seals, or blanks) of the Criminal Code.

Preliminary investigative actions are currently underway.

Earlier, in the Andijan region, a similar scheme was uncovered where 35.1 billion soums in budget funds paid as cashback were embezzled. According to the investigation, suspects opened 9 companies in the names of three citizens and forged documents for the delivery of goods worth 1.1 trillion soums.

Source: www.gazeta.uz