Uzbek prosecutors say tax and state gas company officials conspired to inflate VAT refunds by 643 billion soums on a gas-chemical project
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What happened
Uzbekistan's Prosecutor General's Department for Combating Economic Crimes said in June 2026 that officials of the Tax Committee, the Bukhara regional tax administration and state-owned Uzbekneftegaz conspired with several companies to illegally include VAT in electronic invoices for about 5.3 trillion soums of VAT-exempt services tied to the Shurtan Gas Chemical Complex expansion, producing unlawful refund claims of 643.2 billion soums (about USD 53.7 million). A criminal case was opened under the Criminal Code's embezzlement article and the investigation is ongoing; no verdicts are reported. In January 2026 President Mirziyoyev ordered an anti-corruption probe into Uzbekneftegaz, and its former head Bakhodir Sidikov was detained.
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Roles
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- Kun.uz
Former Uzbekneftegaz head Bakhodir Sidikov detained amid corruption investigation.
Figures
1 source
- Gazeta.uz
uncovered the embezzlement of 643.2 billion soums (nearly $53.7 million) in budget funds linked to the expansion of the Shurtan Gas Chemical Complex
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Contacted and made an on-record admission — exact wording not on record.
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