The mounting controversy surrounding the Tashkent-based construction company Imarat Development has taken a new turn, as laborers report widespread wage theft alongside the already documented plight of defrauded property buyers. In videos circulating widely across social media platforms, a group of construction workers stated they have been left unpaid for hundreds of millions of sums worth of installation and flooring work completed on the company's various residential projects.
Key Takeaways: Construction workers from Imarat Development projects publicly claimed they are owed hundreds of millions of sums in unpaid wages. While the company's head, Marat Khamdamov, has reportedly been arrested amid fraud and abuse of authority charges, thousands of citizens and workers continue to suffer severe financial fallout.
In the viral footage, one of the dissenting workers directly addressed actress Shahzoda Muhamedova—who previously served as the company's brand ambassador—urging her to show solidarity with struggling laborers and ordinary people rather than focusing on personal matters. The incident highlights the growing public backlash against celebrity endorsements of problematic real estate developments, which lure vulnerable buyers into purchasing non-existent homes based on unverified promises.
This development follows earlier reports that criminal proceedings were initiated against the management of Imarat Development, resulting in the detention of top executives including Marat Khamdamov. Numerous residential buyers have previously come forward to state that apartments were never delivered within the contractual deadlines, and attempts to recover deposited funds have been met with severe obstacles and bureaucratic delays.
In response to the escalating social tension, Tashkent City Prosecutor Anvar Ormonov and internal affairs officials held an emergency meeting with affected citizens. Authorities instructed all buyers who invested funds into Imarat projects to come forward with their contracts and formally submit official complaints to law enforcement agencies as the investigation proceeds.
Source: kun.uz