Teen was charged in Bukhara for fraudulently taking loans and gambling online

In the Shafirkon district of Bukhara region, a 16-year-old has been charged with fraud after taking out loans in other people’s names and using the funds for online gambling, according to "Bu Kun".

The case emerged when a resident reported a 54-million-soum loan taken out in his name without his knowledge, with repayments being deducted from his bank account. He alerted the local law enforcement, requesting action against those responsible.

Following his complaint, the Bukhara Cyber Security Department launched an investigation, uncovering a fraudulent scheme orchestrated by a teenager born in 2008.

The young man, who was working informally at a Paynet branch, exploited his access to personal identification data while issuing SIM cards. Using photos and phone numbers without permission, he took out online loans on behalf of more than ten unsuspecting citizens, accruing around 100 million soums in debt. Loans ranged between 15 to 20 million soums per person.

The accused is now in custody under Article 168, part 2, of the Criminal Code (fraud). Authorities are actively investigating to locate additional victims and recover losses.

In a related case, a Fergana-based blogger was recently arrested for promoting online gambling on Instagram. This individual, born in 2002, used his platform to advertise gambling services, leading to his detention by law enforcement.