An Uzbekistan man accused of stealing more than $12 million worth of trucking cargo shipments appeared in Bridgeport federal court on Wednesday and pleaded not guilty to a conspiracy charge.
This comes after a federal grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment on Sept. 22 against 33-year-old Nursulton Izzatulloevich Khaydarov. If convicted of the conspiracy charge, he could be imprisoned for up to five years.
A report from the U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut outlines the conspiracy that Khaydarov allegedly partook in.
Court documents and statements show that the Homeland Security Task Force has been investigating a series of cargo thefts from locations in California and other states.
Investigators say that, since September 2025, Khaydarov and his alleged coconspirators purchased or otherwise took control of several motor carrier companies.
They subsequently took possession of the business’ U.S. Department of Transportation numbers, motor carrier identification numbers, email accounts and the identities of their owners.
Prosecutors accuse these individuals of posing as the previous business owners and exploiting the reputation and trust of the established business to acquire contracts for interstate shipments.
After a contract would be negotiated with a freight broker for an interstate shipment, a driver would pick up the shipment from the distribution location.
Despite this, the report notes that many loads were never delivered and were reported as stolen. In some instances, the alleged criminals even made ransom demands for the return of the stolen merchandise.
According to the indictment, Khaydarov had standing as a lawful, permanent resident of the U.S. as well as a valid New Jersey commercial driver’s license.
He is also said to have possessed fake driver’s licenses in the names of “Sayid Makhmudarov,” “Rustam Mavlonov,” “Dmitri Aganin,” “Roman Smirov,” and “Kairat Nurtas.”
Each of these IDs featured Khaydarov’s photograph with altered facial features, prosecutors say.
It is ultimately alleged that the conspiracy involved the theft of at least 24 cargo loads.
These shipments contained hard drives, stereo equipment, clothing, electronics, computer equipment, food items, nicotine products and other valuable items.
As mentioned, the report identifies the estimated value of the stolen goods - from thefts specifically said to have involved Khaydarov - as amounting to more than $12 million.
Khaydarov was arrested on a federal criminal compliant in Ontario, California on June 1. He has been detained since his arrest and was brought to Bridgeport to appear in court on Wednesday.
Prosecutors emphasize that Khaydarov is considered innocent of the charge unless or until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The active case is being pursued by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with help from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General, the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation Division, Homeland Security Investigations and the police departments in Fullerton and Ontario, California.
