Deputy mayor in Shahrisabz embezzles over 1 billion soums in loan funds

In the Kashkadarya region, a criminal case has been initiated against the deputy mayor and others involved in embezzling loan funds, according to the State Security Service.

It was reported that F.A., the deputy mayor of one of the community gatherings in Shahrisabz city, used his official position in collusion with R.M., the head of an LLC specializing in the wholesale trade of equipment for the textile, sewing, and knitting industries. Between 2022 and 2023, they secured preferential loans in the names of 14 citizens, intended for the purchase of breeding livestock, poultry, beekeeping, tailoring, greenhouse establishment, and other purposes. F.A. submitted false information to the joint-stock commercial bank by falsifying contract and invoice documents using a digital signature, resulting in the bank disbursing 440.3 million soums in loans.

Additionally, the deputy mayor colluded with H.S., the head of another LLC, to obtain a loan of 733.3 million soums by providing false information on behalf of 25 citizens to the same bank.

In total, 1.1736 billion soums in loans were embezzled.

"Currently, a criminal case has been initiated against the deputy mayor, the heads of the LLCs, and others under Articles 167 and 228 of the Criminal Code, and investigations are ongoing," the report stated.

It should be noted that assistant governors in the Tashkent and Jizzakh regions were previously caught accepting bribes.