Imarat Development founder Marat Khamdamov arrested in fraud case
Marat Khamdamov, an entrepreneur known as the founder of the Imarat Development construction project, has been detained as a suspect in a criminal case initiated on charges of fraud and abuse of authority. This case was opened following complaints from apartment buyers who were unable to get their money back.
Imarat Development founder Marat Khamdamov arrested in fraud case
Entrepreneur Marat Khamdamov, associated with construction projects under the Imarat Development brand, has been detained within the framework of a criminal case investigated by the Main Department of Internal Affairs of Tashkent city.
According to the agency, during the investigation, two individuals — M.Kh. and J.A. — were detained on the basis of Article 227 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. Marat Khamdamov was involved in the criminal case as a suspect.
Article 227 of the CCP provides for detention by decision of an inquirer, investigator, or prosecutor. The detained person must be immediately brought to the nearest internal affairs body or other law enforcement agency.
The identity of the second person, indicated in the report by the initials J.A., has not been disclosed. It is also not yet clarified whether charges have been brought against the detainees or what preventive measure will be selected later.
On November 1, the Investigation Department of the Main Department of Internal Affairs of Tashkent city initiated a criminal case under Article 168 (Fraud) and Article 192−11 (Abuse of powers by officials of a non-governmental commercial organization or other non-governmental organization) of the Criminal Code.
This was based on applications from apartment buyers dissatisfied with the developer's activities, who requested that legal measures be taken against its management.
According to the Main Department of Internal Affairs, the office of Imarat Development LLC is located on Buyuk Avlod Street in the Sergeli district of Tashkent. However, the multi-story buildings that the company planned to build are rising in the Quyi Chirchiq district of the Tashkent region.
Some buyers, stating that they intended to buy an apartment specifically in Tashkent city, expressed dissatisfaction with the fact that the objects were outside the capital's territory. They demanded the cancellation of contracts and the refund of their money, but according to law enforcement agencies, the funds were not returned to them.
The number of victims and the preliminary amount of damage have not yet been disclosed.
Problems surrounding construction projects under the Imarat Development brand were the subject of public discussion long before the criminal case was initiated.
In December 2025, the publication Daryo published an investigation into buyers who could neither get their apartments nor get their money back after canceling their contracts.
One of the clients said that in January 2024, he paid 100 million UZS for an apartment in the Sergeli City project. According to him, the manager stated that the residential property would be located approximately five kilometers from the Sergeli district of Tashkent. However, having visited the construction site, the buyer discovered that the facility was much further away — in the territory of the Tashkent region.
Other buyers also complained about delays in construction work and that payments were not being refunded for a long time.
In July 2025, the Inspection for Control in the Field of Construction and Housing and Communal Services identified violations in the construction of five blocks of the Sergeli City complex in the Quyi Chirchiq district. Among them were failure to undergo appropriate registration to start construction and installation works, voids in concrete columns, water accumulation under the foundation, and the absence of a drainage system provided for in the project. The construction of these blocks was temporarily suspended.
At the end of October 2026, Kun.uz again published appeals from buyers regarding the violation of the terms for handing over houses specified in the contract.
Against the backdrop of these complaints, Marat Khamdamov released video messages about a dispute between himself and other founders of the company. He claimed that his partners had excluded him from the Sergeli City and Bristol City projects, blocking his access to the office and construction sites. He also reported threats against himself and his family members.