A Tashkent court has reviewed a severe extortion case involving a 72-year-old local resident, identified as H.Yu., who allegedly impersonated a senior official from the presidential apparatus to coerce a businessman from Bukhara.

According to court documents, the elderly suspect targeted the director of a Bukhara-based limited liability company by claiming that an official audit had been ordered into the firm's operations. The perpetrator reportedly used intimidation tactics, warning the entrepreneur of impending asset confiscation due to alleged misuse of allocated bank loans.

To make the fabricated investigation go away, the extortionist demanded a staggering sum of 500,000 US dollars. Law enforcement agencies intervened during a sting operation as the suspect was transferring an initial installment of 10 million soms to his bank account.

During the court proceedings, the defendant reportedly refused to plead guilty, denying that he had ever demanded half a million dollars from the businessman. Despite the defense's arguments, the court examined the collected evidence and issued a verdict on the matter.

Source: kun.uz