Switzerland to return Uzbekistan’s assets frozen in money laundering probe

A view reveals a villa that after belonged to Gulnara Karimova, a jailed daughter of late President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov, in Sijjak, Uzbekistan April 16, 2021. The federal government of Uzbekistan is auctioning off the luxurious villa on the situation that it’s was a lodge. REUTERS/Mukhammadsharif Mamatkulov

GENEVA, Aug 16 (Reuters) – Switzerland agreed on Tuesday to ship again to Uzbekistan over $100 million which it seized throughout a long-running investigation in reference to the daughter of former president Islam Karimov.

The continued felony proceedings towards Gulnara Karimova in Switzerland which have concerned suspected cash laundering by way of telecommunications contracts have up to now resulted within the seizure of $131 million. The Swiss international ministry stated extra funds would possibly turn into accessible from belongings which may be confiscated in future.

The deal signed in Bern between Switzerland’s president Ignazio Cassis and the Uzbek Minister of Justice Ruslanbek Davletov will set up a belief fund and use the cash for sustainable improvement tasks within the Central Asian nation.

“The fund will permit the returned belongings for use for the good thing about the inhabitants of Uzbekistan,” Cassis stated.

Islam Karimov dominated Uzbekistan for 27 years till his demise in 2016. His daughter Karimova was as soon as a profitable businesswoman and her nation’s United Nations consultant in Geneva. She was jailed again in Uzbekistan in 2019 for violating the phrases of her home arrest after receiving a five-year sentence in 2015 on expenses of embezzlement and extortion.

She has denied any wrongdoing.

Switzerland, a well-liked residence for the worldwide elite, says it has returned roughly $2 billion of stolen belongings to their nations of origin over the previous 30 years.

Reporting by Emma Farge
Modifying by Tomasz Janowski

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