Photo: rbk.ru
Illicit assets linked to Gulnara Karimova, the daughter of Uzbekistan’s first president, and returned from Switzerland, have been allocated to healthcare and education initiatives, the Uzbek Ministry of Finance announced.
The first tranche, amounting to $131 million, has already been put to use. A portion of the funds was used to purchase 5,841 units of advanced medical equipment, which were then distributed to 230 perinatal centers across the country. An additional 1,400 medical items are also slated for purchase.
The funds have supported other initiatives as well. In partnership with United Nations agencies, over 11,000 Uzbek healthcare workers have received training. Additionally, 29 national protocols and guidelines for maternity care have been aligned with international standards.
A significant share of the money has been directed to education. Two major projects are currently underway. The first aims to expand educational opportunities through the integration of information technologies and digital solutions. The second focuses on improving hygiene conditions in schools, modernizing heating systems, and increasing community involvement in school governance.
The Finance Ministry reminded the public that in 2022, Uzbekistan and Switzerland established the “Ishonch” fund under a UN-managed multi-partner trust fund. This mechanism facilitates the return of Karimova’s illicit assets. Allocation of the funds is overseen by both Strategic and Civil Society Advisory Councils.
As previously reported, the first tranche returned from Switzerland totaled $131 million. A second tranche of $182 million is also expected as part of the bilateral agreement.
In early April, Belgium announced it would return $108 million to Uzbekistan in connection with a corruption and money laundering case in the telecommunications sector—assets believed to be tied to Karimova’s companies.
👉 In September 2022, the Uzbek Ministry of Justice reported that Karimova’s criminal assets held abroad totaled nearly $1.3 billion.
Investigations into Gulnara Karimova’s criminal activities began in Europe in 2012. She was found to have received massive bribes from telecom companies (TeliaSonera, Vimpelcom, Alfa Telecom, MTS) in exchange for access to the Uzbek market, laundering the proceeds mainly through Switzerland. In 2018, Swiss authorities confiscated over $555 million in assets linked to her.
In Uzbekistan, criminal cases against Karimova began in 2013, resulting in multiple convictions for embezzlement, tax evasion, and leading a criminal organization. She was sentenced to 13 years in prison and is currently serving her sentence in a women’s penal colony near Tashkent.
