Recently, the Swiss Federal Criminal Court ruled to confiscate illegally obtained funds belonging to Takilant, whose beneficiary was Gulnara Karimova.
According to the press service of the Ministry of Justice, the story published in the media did not disclose all the details of the court's decision.
According to the Ministry, in 2012, the Swiss Federal Prosecutor's Office launched a major investigation in connection with suspicions of money laundering and forgery against Gulnara Karimova and related persons. It is about aggraveted laundering of money illegally obtained from foreign telecommunications companies in exchange for access to the Uzbek market.
Takilant's money held in Swiss banks of over US $ 350 million, were confiscated by the Swiss Federal Attorney's Office as part of a Swiss law enforcement investigation.
“In a statement released on December 22, the Swiss court announced the confiscation of more than $ 293 million, following the conviction of Gulnara Karimova and her accomplices of money laundering. This is a significant victory for the Swiss law enforcement agencies, as it opens up an opportunity for further negotiations on their return to Uzbekistan. While, according to a court decision, about $ 70 million can be returned to Takilant, minus administrative charges,” the statement said.
According to the Ministry of Justice, the Swiss media misinterpreted this part of the court's decision and disseminated unfounded stories.
“It should be noted that the ruling of the Swiss Federal Criminal Court of December 17, 2021 is not final, since it determines that the parties, in particular the Swiss law enforcement agencies, have the right to appeal against the said court decision. In addition, in relation to these funds, there is also a lawsuit and an order from the US competent authorities to seize them, which makes it impossible to return these funds to the company even if the said decision of the Swiss court enters into legal force, ”the department said.
The Ministry of Justice concluded that the Uzbek state bodies are actively working with the authorities of Switzerland and the United States to return the assets of Gulnara Karimova and her accomplices, obtained as a result of criminal activities, from which the state and people of Uzbekistan suffered.
