Former Agriculture Minister Aziz Voitov Faces Embezzlement Accusations Involving Billions
Former Minister of Agriculture Aziz Voitov Faces Charges of Embezzlement and Misappropriation
Former Minister of Agriculture Aziz Voitov is currently facing charges related to his time as Board Chairman of “Uzsanoatqurilishbank” JSC, where it is alleged that he misappropriated credit funds, budget money, and caused damages to state interests exceeding 200 billion UZS. According to the indictment, Voitov carried out these illegal activities with the help of his classmate, father-in-law, and other close associates.
During his time as Chairman of the Board of “Uzsanoatqurilishbank” JSC, Voitov allegedly committed various crimes such as embezzlement, abuse of office, and official fraud. The indictment details how Voitov established “Lanell Group” LLC in the name of his classmate, but actually controlled the company through his father-in-law and spouse. He secured large sums of credit from the bank, which were then embezzled, totaling billions of UZS.
Furthermore, Voitov conspired with his associates to secure a significant euro credit without collateral for “Lanell Group” LLC, which was also misappropriated. He manipulated the construction of buildings using bank funds, resulting in further embezzlement and misappropriation of funds.
During his tenure as Minister of Agriculture, Voitov is accused of causing damages to state interests and embezzling funds meant for various projects. Despite partial admission of the charges during the investigation, Voitov denied direct involvement in some of the criminal activities mentioned in the indictment.
The trial involving former Minister Aziz Voitov and 49 others has begun, with journalists banned from taking photos and videos during the proceedings. While the Anti-Corruption Agency suggested holding the hearings openly, the trial against Voitov and others will be conducted behind closed doors.
