Fraud - The Times Of Central Asia

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Fraud

Uzbekistan Busts Scam Call Centers Targeting Europe and North America

Uzbek law enforcement authorities have dismantled two illegal call centers in Tashkent that were part of a transnational fraud network targeting victims across Europe and North America, according to the country’s Ministry of Internal Affairs. The operation, carried out jointly by the Interior Ministry’s Cybercrime Department and the State Security Service, targeted offices located in the Yashnabad and Yakkasaray districts of the Uzbek capital. Authorities found 97 people, including five foreign nationals, at the first location, while 34 more, including three foreigners, were apprehended at the second site. According to investigators, the call centers conducted fraudulent phone calls and mass messaging campaigns using spoofed telephone numbers. Operators posed as financial advisers and investment brokers, persuading victims to purchase cryptocurrencies and invest in purported high-yield investment schemes. The group also created multiple phishing websites designed to imitate legitimate investment platforms, promising returns of up to 70% per month. The Interior Ministry said the organizers recruited university students in Tashkent with foreign-language skills to communicate with overseas victims. Employees operated under aliases and underwent specialized training that emphasized strict operational security. Access to the offices was tightly controlled. Criminal proceedings have been opened by the Cybercrime Department’s investigative division. Authorities said investigative and operational measures are continuing with respect to the remaining 111 individuals found at the two facilities. The Interior Ministry added that its International Cooperation Department and Uzbekistan’s National Central Bureau of Interpol are preparing requests for assistance to law enforcement agencies in Europe and North America. Officials described the operation as the result of “hundreds of hours of surveillance, digital forensic analysis, and international cooperation.” The case follows a series of major anti-fraud operations in Uzbekistan. Earlier this year, the State Security Service dismantled three call centers that targeted Russian citizens by promising compensation for allegedly defective dietary supplements and then demanding advance “tax” payments before victims could receive the fictitious reimbursements. In another operation in June, the Uzbek authorities uncovered multiple fraud schemes across six regions involving false promises of employment in South Korea. In one case, the head of a private company allegedly demanded approximately $384,000 from a group of 48 people in exchange for arranging overseas jobs.

Visa Fraud

German Authorities Investigate Alleged Schengen Visa Scheme Involving Citizens of Uzbekistan

German authorities have launched a major investigation into a suspected visa fraud and migrant smuggling network accused of helping dozens of citizens of Uzbekistan enter the European Union using false information and forged documents. According to Germany’s Federal Police, around 220 officers searched seven locations in Hesse and Lower Saxony as part of an investigation led by the Public Prosecutor’s Office in Weiden in der Oberpfalz, Bavaria. The case concerns suspected commercial smuggling of foreign nationals, unauthorized residence, visa fraud, and document forgery. The investigation began after federal police inspected a traveler from Uzbekistan on a long-distance bus shortly after he entered Germany through a Bavarian border crossing. Authorities believe the suspects, described as members of an internationally operating group that included several people from Uzbekistan, arranged short-term Schengen visas for job seekers from the country. Investigators allege that false information and flight tickets were submitted to obtain the visas. According to prosecutors, after arriving in Germany, some individuals were allegedly provided with forged European Union identity documents. These documents were then reportedly used to register with health and pension insurance systems, tax authorities, municipal registration offices, employment agencies, and job centers, as well as to open bank accounts and activate mobile phone services. German authorities say the group may be linked to 76 visas issued to citizens of Uzbekistan. Investigators estimate that clients were charged €2,000 for obtaining a visa, another €2,000 for flight tickets, and €400 for forged driver’s licenses. During the searches, officers reportedly seized suspected fake identity documents and driver’s licenses from several European countries, more than 20 mobile phones, two laptops, and various banking, insurance, and registration documents. The investigation stems from an October 2025 inspection on the A6 highway near Waidhaus, close to Germany’s border with the Czech Republic. During that check, federal police stopped the passenger, who was traveling on a bus route between Prague and Amsterdam. Although he had a valid passport issued by Uzbekistan and a Czech Schengen visa, officers allegedly discovered four suspected forged Latvian identity cards and a suspected forged Polish driver’s license in his luggage. Officers located 12 people targeted in the investigation during the raids, while authorities also encountered nine other people suspected of residing illegally in Germany. Prosecutors said they are considering whether to seek an arrest warrant for the main suspect, and the investigation remains ongoing. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, Piergabriele Papadia de Bottini di Sant’Agnese, a former Italian ambassador to Uzbekistan, was arrested in Rome on allegations of corruption and facilitating illegal migration. Italian prosecutors allege that Papadia and his associate, Tatiana Tarakanova, operated a scheme involving the issuance of Schengen visas through the Italian Embassy in Tashkent. Prosecutors claim the pair helped arrange visas in exchange for payments.

Fraud

Telephone Scammers in Kyrgyzstan Begin Using AI Tools

Kyrgyzstan has recorded an increase in telephone fraud cases involving AI. According to law enforcement agencies, dozens of citizens have fallen victim to such schemes, with total losses amounting to millions of soms. Fraudsters use AI tools to imitate voices and images, posing as law enforcement officers, representatives of the National Bank, or acquaintances of their targets. Police say international criminal groups most often target pensioners and public sector employees, including teachers, doctors, and other government workers, whom they consider more susceptible to social engineering tactics. Complaints are received on a regular basis, but in most cases the transferred funds cannot be recovered. Ulan Berdibayev, head of the Internal Affairs Department of Bishkek’s Leninsky district, told The Times of Central Asia that the schemes are organized and cross-border in nature. According to him, the networks involve multiple actors, including psychologists, call operators, and recruiters of so-called “droppers.” The latter are responsible for withdrawing funds and registering bank cards and SIM cards in their own names to facilitate the transit of money. A dropper is an individual whose bank details are used to transfer and cash out stolen funds. They are typically offered a small reward for their participation, while the bulk of the proceeds goes to the organizers of the scheme. Law enforcement officials acknowledge that apprehending the organizers, who are usually located abroad, is extremely difficult. After passing through several bank transfers, the funds are often converted into cryptocurrency, making them even harder to trace. At the same time, police report that several droppers have been detained within Kyrgyzstan. They face charges under Article 209 of the Criminal Code, which stipulates penalties including fines or imprisonment with terms ranging from five to ten years, depending on the scale of the damage. A recent case drew particular attention when fraudsters used AI to generate a fake image of former State Committee for National Security head Kamchibek Tashiev and circulated messages urging people to install a pirated application that granted access to users’ banking services.

Fraud

Kazakhstan Blocked Nearly 85 Million Fraudulent Phone Calls in 2025

Kazakhstan’s law enforcement agencies blocked approximately 85 million fraudulent phone calls in 2025, according to Interior Minister Yerzhan Sadenov. The announcement was made during a meeting of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. “Systematic work continues to combat cybercrime and internet fraud,” Sadenov stated. “A total of 84.5 million fraudulent calls were blocked, helping to prevent significant financial losses and reduce citizen exposure to fraudulent schemes. Thirteen call centers were shut down, including some located abroad. Fifty-six criminal cases have been launched against individuals involved in so-called ‘dropperism,’ aiding internet fraudsters.” Sadenov also highlighted Kazakhstan’s signing of the United Nations Convention on Combating Cybercrime, which he said will strengthen international cooperation in addressing cross-border digital crimes. As part of its broader digital transformation, Kazakhstan introduced the Law and Order service last autumn, a new tool enabling citizens to interact with law enforcement agencies. Integrated into eGov Mobile, the government’s digital services platform, as well as the Kaspi.kz and Halyk Bank mobile apps, the service is accessible nationwide. In addition to reporting offenses, users can submit complaints against police officers and send text, voice, photo, and video messages. Every report submitted through the service is automatically registered in the Ministry’s information system, with users receiving real-time updates on the status of their submissions. To support these initiatives, the Ministry of Internal Affairs has established a Department of Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence. The department is tasked with integrating smart technologies into law enforcement. One of its flagship projects is the National Video Monitoring System, which uses video analytics to enhance street and public safety, including the ongoing development of the Safe City initiative. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, engineers in Karaganda unveiled three prototype unmanned aerial vehicles last year aimed at improving public safety across Kazakhstan.

Fraud

Thousands of Kazakhstanis Added to Financial Watchlists Over Suspected Fraud

Several thousand citizens in Kazakhstan have been placed on so-called “dropper” lists, individuals suspected of using their bank accounts to facilitate the withdrawal of illicit funds. The announcement was made by Madina Abylkasymova, Chair of the Agency for Regulation and Development of the Financial Market (ARDFM). According to Abylkasymova, suspected individuals are initially placed on a “gray” list, where all financial transactions are temporarily blocked. If the allegations are confirmed, individuals are then transferred to a blacklist. “Currently, we already have several thousand people on these lists,” she said. The Prosecutor General’s Office recently reported identifying more than 6,000 individuals believed to be involved in embezzlement schemes using personal banking infrastructure. Beginning this fall, legislative amendments will introduce criminal liability for the unauthorized transfer of payment instruments. Abylkasymova emphasized that citizens will be prohibited from handing over bank cards even to relatives. “This reduces the risk of unauthorized access to funds and protects customers from disputed debits,” she explained. Since the start of the year, individuals have also been limited to a maximum of five bank cards per financial institution. The restriction was introduced in response to criminal cases where hundreds of cards were issued to a single person and later used in drug trafficking operations. Despite these tightening regulations, Abylkasymova reassured the public that cash will remain in circulation. “Paper tenge will always be used in Kazakhstan, alongside non-cash transactions and the digital tenge,” she said. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, banks and mobile operators will now be held jointly liable for internet fraud committed via their platforms, as part of broader efforts to curb financial cybercrime.

Fraud

Uzbek National in U.S. Faces Deportation Following Voter Fraud Conviction

An Uzbek citizen, Sanjar Djamilov, is facing deportation from the United States after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit voter registration fraud, according to a U.S. court ruling reported by Florida Politics. Djamilov, 33, who resides in St. Petersburg, Florida, was sentenced to time served and placed under supervised release pending deportation. He has been remanded to the custody of U.S. Marshals and is awaiting processing by the Bureau of Customs and Immigration. If deported, he will be barred from re-entering the U.S. without explicit government authorization. The court imposed a $100 assessment on Djamilov, but waived restitution and other fees. According to investigators, Djamilov and a Russian national, Dmitry Shushlebin, submitted 132 fraudulent voter registration applications to the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections between February and March 2023. The applications were flagged for identical formatting, repeated typographical errors, sequential Social Security numbers, and recurring birth dates, raising immediate suspicion. Authorities say the pair also submitted change-of-address forms to the U.S. Postal Service to redirect official mail to three addresses under their control. The case was jointly investigated by the FBI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, following a referral from the Florida Department of State’s Office of Election Crimes and Security. In an April 2025 plea agreement, Djamilov admitted that Shushlebin had hired him and others to submit more than 100 fraudulent applications. While Djamilov has now been sentenced, Shushlebin has also pleaded guilty but is still awaiting sentencing. Djamilov had faced up to five years in prison for his involvement. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, 131 citizens from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan were repatriated from the U.S. on a special charter flight in May 2025. Funded by the Uzbek government, the operation reflected growing cooperation between Washington and Tashkent on migration and security issues.