The Pap District Criminal Court in Namangan province has issued a verdict against Odilkhon Ismoilov, founder of Rayxon Oilaviy Milliy Taomlari ("Rayхон National Family Cuisine"), and six co-defendants, the press service of Uzbekistan's Supreme Court reported.
According to the verdict, all seven defendants were found guilty of crimes under:
- clause "a," Part 3, Article 167 (Large-scale embezzlement through misappropriation or waste);
- clause "a," Part 2, Article 209 (Official forgery, committed repeatedly or by a dangerous recidivist);
- clause "a," Part 2, Article 227 (Seizure, destruction, damage, or concealment of documents, stamps, seals, forms, or vehicle/trailer license plates, committed in relation to a passport, ID card, military ID, or other important personal document, or in relation to documents, stamps, seals, or forms of special importance);
- clauses "a" and "b," Part 2, Article 228 of the Criminal Code (Production or forgery of documents, stamps, seals, or forms, and their distribution or use, committed repeatedly, by a dangerous recidivist, or by a group acting in prior conspiracy).
The court sentenced Odilkhon Ismoilov, 49, to eight years in prison. Accounting for time already spent in detention, custody, or house arrest, his final sentence was reduced to seven years, 11 months, and 28 days.
The other six defendants received varying prison terms depending on their role and the nature of the crimes they committed. The court ordered the convicted defendants to jointly and severally repay the financial damages caused.
Odilkhon Ismoilov and several others were detained in January 2026 on charges of embezzlement, sham entrepreneurship, tax evasion, trade-rule violations, official forgery, and document falsification.
Ismoilov had served as deputy chief imam-khatib of Tashkent since 2010. From 2011 until July 2018, he was chief imam-khatib of the Shaykhantakhur district and imam-khatib of the Shaykh Zayniddin Mosque, after which he worked at the Vaqf charitable public foundation.
In February 2019, Ismoilov was appointed imam-khatib of the Khoja Alambardor Mosque in the Shaykhantakhur district. He was released from that position in September of the same year at his own request, citing health issues.
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