Tashkent Uncovers Scheme to Misappropriate Funds via Tax Cashback

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — A criminal case has been opened in Tashkent following the theft of nearly 4.7 billion soums in state funds through the tax cashback mechanism in the Soliq Mobile application, according to the Department for Combating Economic Crimes under the Prosecutor General’s Office.

During a pre-trial check conducted jointly with the Tax Committee, law enforcement established that officials of G.M. LLC used computer hardware to process fictitious records showing goods purchases totaling 76.2 billion soums. Fake receipts were then generated via online cash registers to simulate sales transactions.

According to law enforcement agencies, these receipts were sold via the Telegram messaging app to 2,475 citizens registered in the Unified Social Protection Register at prices ranging from 70,000 to 150,000 soums each.

Investigators state that 7.5 billion soums in tax cashback were accrued for the fake transactions through Soliq Mobile, of which 4.1 billion soums have already been paid out. Law enforcement believes these funds were misappropriated or embezzled.

A similar scheme was uncovered in the Chilanzar district of Tashkent. Investigators report that officials of E.G. LLC and I.F. LLC, acting by prior agreement, processed fake purchase records totaling 10 billion soums and sold counterfeit receipts to 1,812 citizens from the Unified Social Protection Register for between 100,000 and 150,000 soums each.

For these transactions, 1 billion soums in cashback was accrued via Soliq Mobile, of which 640.8 million soums has been paid out.

In both instances, criminal cases have been initiated under charges of embezzlement or misappropriation, as well as the manufacturing, forgery, sale, or use of counterfeit documents. Investigative actions are currently underway.