In Surkhandarya region, hundreds of citizens became victims of a fraudulent scheme organized by “Surkhan Autocenter” LLC. The car dealership operating in the city of Termez promised customers the delivery of vehicles on interest-free installment plans with repayment terms of up to five years.
It was established that the dealership was officially registered on January 4, 2024. The sole founder and director of the company was Akmal Turaev, son of Ahmad. Through active promotion on social media, the company advertised the opportunity to purchase vehicles under simple and favorable conditions. The promise of interest-free installments attracted a large number of buyers.
However, the vehicles were not delivered within the agreed timeframes. Customers who contacted the dealership were given various excuses. According to preliminary data, the management of the dealership deceived nearly 200 citizens and misappropriated approximately 10 billion soums.
One of the victims reported making payments for two vehicles — Labo and Cobalt — totaling 154 million soums. The cars were supposed to be delivered in August and September, but this did not happen. It later emerged that the so-called “interest-free installments” were in fact оформed through banks as loans with an annual interest rate of 26 percent.
In addition, dealership employees accepted used vehicles from some citizens under the pretext of providing new cars in exchange. These vehicles were later sold to third parties, while the proceeds were not returned to the original owners.
According to victim Abdugaffor Turdiyev, he handed over his Nexia vehicle to the dealership after reaching an agreement to receive a Cobalt. Documents presented as a power of attorney were signed, after which his vehicle was sold to another individual. As a result, he lost both his own car and the promised new one.
Victims also stated that the director’s spouse and close relatives were involved in the dealership’s operations. Payments for vehicles were primarily accepted in cash directly at the dealership’s office.
The Investigation Department of the Surkhandarya Regional Internal Affairs Directorate reported that a criminal case has been initiated against Akmal Turaev under Article 168, Part 4, Clause “a” of the Criminal Code — fraud committed on a particularly large scale. The investigation established that the funds collected from customers were used for personal purposes under the guise of formal contracts.
On January 10, 2026, a preventive measure in the form of detention was imposed in absentia, and on January 12, the suspect was apprehended. Investigative actions are currently ongoing.
It is noted that applications from affected citizens continue to be submitted. Therefore, the number of victims and the total amount of damage caused may increase further.
