Bank Officials Detained for Loan Bribes in Two Regions
Bank Officials Detained for Loan Bribes in Two Regions
Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Law enforcement agencies of the Republic of Uzbekistan have thwarted systematic corruption in the banking sector during large-scale special operations. High-ranking employees of commercial banks were caught red-handed in the Ferghana and Samarkand regions while receiving large financial rewards for illegal assistance in approving and allocating preferential loans for entrepreneurial activities.
According to information from the Department for Combating Economic Crimes under the General Prosecutor's Office, the head of a customer service center of a commercial bank was exposed during targeted operational activities in the Ferghana region. Using his official position, he gained the trust of a local entrepreneur who had applied for business financing. In exchange for assistance in the unimpeded allocation of a loan worth 2.5 billion soums, the bank employee demanded a kickback of 5% of the total amount, equaling 125 million soums. The perpetrator was detained by special services at the moment of receiving an advance payment of US$10,000.
Security forces in the Samarkand region uncovered a similar official crime during a joint operation by law enforcement agencies. In that case, the head of a regional bank branch approved and issued a loan worth US$75,000 to an entrepreneur, but demanded an illegal cash reward of US$2,200 for his services. The corrupt official was caught red-handed while returning a portion of the illegally obtained funds amounting to 10.7 million soums.
Criminal cases have been initiated for both uncovered incidents under the relevant articles of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Comprehensive investigative actions are currently underway.
Previously, a corruption ring involving a bank manager and an employee of a territorial inspection was also liquidated in the Andijan region. Those individuals extorted money in exchange for reducing assessed damage amounts and assisting in obtaining multi-billion soum loans.
