Uzbekistan citizen accused of stealing $12 million worth of goods in the US

The US Department of Justice has brought criminal conspiracy charges against 33-year-old Uzbekistan citizen Nursulton Haydarov for the theft of at least 24 large cargo shipments. According to the investigation, the total value of the missing goods exceeded 12 million US dollars.

The initial court hearing for this large-scale criminal case took place at the federal court in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

Scheme under the guise of trust: How were the goods stolen?

According to the version of the investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and law enforcement agencies, the fraud was set up based on a meticulous plan:

• Acquiring and taking over companies: Starting from September 2025, Haydarov and his alleged accomplices purchased or established control over several freight transportation (logistics) companies operating within the US;

• Using other people's identities: Posing as reliable and experienced carriers, they secured major shipping contracts using the registration numbers (DOT/MC), emails, and personal data of the former owners;

• Cargoes failing to reach destination: Valuable goods removed from warehouses were not delivered to customers, and in some cases, ransom was demanded for the return of the cargo to its owner.

Arrest and expected penalty

A series of operational measures were carried out to expose the criminal actions and apprehend the suspect:

• Arrest in California: Nursulton Haydarov was detained on June 1, 2026, in the state of California;

• Grand jury indictment and plea of not guilty: On September 22, 2026, a federal grand jury officially confirmed the criminal conspiracy charge against him. During the court hearing held on October 21, he stated that he considers himself not guilty;

• Up to 5 years of imprisonment: If his guilt is fully proven during the trial, he could face a sentence of up to 5 years in prison.

Currently, the FBI and other authorized US law enforcement agencies are continuing investigations to identify other potential members of the criminal gang and to clarify the fate of the stolen cargo.