Tashkent man tied to criminal group “Bakhti Tashkentsky” jailed for 8 years

Hasan Shofayziev, born in 1991 and a resident of Tashkent, was charged with extortion and sentenced accordingly. The court documents mention that he is associated with Bakhtiyor Kudratullaev.

According to the verdict reviewed by Kun.uz, Shofayziev had developed a close relationship with Bekzod Zafarov, son of the well-known figure “Bakhti Tashkentsky.” Shofaiziev joined an organized criminal group led by an individual allegedly appointed by Kudratullaev as the local underworld boss (“polozhenets”) in Samarkand Region. The group sought to gain illegal wealth by seizing control of the streets and committing acts of extortion.

One such case involved the group learning that M.B., a resident of Samarkand city, owed $10,000 to a Kazakhstani man named Murod. The group decided to recover the debt using “street justice.” On Bekzod Zafarov’s orders, members of the criminal group met M.B. at a farm located in the Beshbola neighborhood of Jomboy district, where they used physical force against him. They forced M.B. into an Epica car under their control and took him to a restaurant in Bulungur district.

At the restaurant, the group applied both psychological and physical pressure on M.B., including hitting him on the head with a glass bottle and causing bodily harm. They demanded the $10,000 owed to Murod. When M.B. said he did not have the money, they took $500 first, then an additional $1,200 from him, and spent it for their own needs.

Shofayziev denied the charges in court, claiming he had no connection to the crime.

“I met Bekzod Zafarov in 2019. In the spring of 2022, he came to me saying he wasn’t feeling well and believed he had been cursed. He asked me to accompany him to a religious healer he had found in Samarkand. He said he had no money at the time but had a car and asked me to pay for the fuel. I agreed. Together with Bekzod and a driver, we traveled to Samarkand in a Lacetti. Upon arrival, we were met by someone who introduced himself as Sanya — Bekzod’s acquaintance. It was the first time I saw him,” Shofayziev stated in court.

He added that later that day they went to a hotel, where M.B. was brought in.

“I asked M.B., ‘Brother, what’s going on? Everything okay?’ He said he had bought two cranes from a Kazakhstani man and couldn’t pay for one of them. I immediately asked, ‘Do you owe Bekzod money?

Why is he angry with you?’ M.B. said he had no debt to Bekzod. I told him he was free to go if that was the case. Then Bekzod got angry and said, ‘Why are you trying to play the boss here?’ I told him he was wrong to treat M.B. that way and that I had come to Samarkand with good intentions. Hearing our conversation, Sanya told me, ‘Why are you going against your brother’s son? Calm down.’ I didn’t want to be involved in the conflict, so I said goodbye to everyone and left the hotel,” Shofayziev testified.

According to the ruling of the Uchtepa District Criminal Court, Hasan Shofayziev was found guilty under Article 165, Part 3, Clause (v) of the Criminal Code (extortion involving a group), and sentenced to 8 years in prison.

A separate ruling by the Shaykhontohur District Criminal Court on July 19, 2024, sentenced Bakhtiyor Kudratullaev, Bekzod Zafarov, and other members of the group to prison terms.