Investigation into Izmir Art Stroy: informal approach being taken against the unofficial head of the company

**Investigation into the "Izmir Art Stroy" case: An unusual approach is being taken against the unofficial head of the company**

Two criminal cases have been opened in Tashkent on charges of fraud against the officials of the "Izmir Art Stroy" construction company, which implemented projects such as "Izmir House" and "Neom Tower". In one of these cases, the number of victims is at least 430 people, and the estimated damage has reached 173 billion soums. Although the official founder of the company is in custody, the "main person behind it" is hiding from the investigation, but is not wanted. The capital's prosecutor explained that if he is also arrested, the issue of recovering damages may become hopeless.

Many citizens who paid for the purchase of apartments in the residential projects of "Izmir Art Stroy" LLC in Tashkent have faced serious problems. Complaints were received regarding the non-completion of the construction within the established deadlines, and as a result, a criminal case was initiated against the company's activities.

The founder of the enterprise was taken into custody as a precautionary measure within the framework of this criminal case, and he was detained in another criminal case.

We are talking about three projects in the Yashnabad district: according to the investigation report reviewed by "Kun.uz", it is planned to build 1,152 apartments in "Izmir House", and a total of 1,536 apartments in "Neom Tower" and "Kelajak Tumlari", 90% of which have been sold.

On June 25, 2026, a criminal case was initiated on the case under the article "Fraud", and so far 430 people have been recognized as victims.

Recently, the acting prosecutor of Tashkent city, Anvar Urmanov, met with citizens who signed contracts. According to the information provided by the internal affairs investigators, the amount of material damage according to the current calculations in the case is 173 billion soums. This figure is information at the current stage of the investigation, and the investigation and identification of victims are ongoing.

At the meeting, the responsible internal affairs officer gave a brief explanation of the situation as follows: "They started applying in 2025. This has been a problem since their contracts specified a deadline until the end of 2026. A criminal case was initiated in June 2026, at which time they had no money in their accounts at all. Construction was suspended, there was no money for construction. In addition, after citizens started applying, they called construction companies they knew with a personal request and pretended that construction was underway, thereby creating a pretense."

**There is another criminal case**

According to the capital's prosecutor Anvar Ormonov, although the documents indicate Gulnara Davronovna Khakimova as the founder of "Izmir Art Stroy", the person behind the company is a person named Akmal - he is hiding from the investigation as part of another criminal case, but has not yet been put on the wanted list.

"Izmir Art Stroy" also had another company, and this other company wanted to build a "dom" in partnership with a citizen on his land in the Yangihayot district. They did not build a "dom", they started digging a pit and turned it into a sales office. A total of more than 7 billion was collected from citizens through the sales office. I think that money was probably spent on your "doms", but I do not know exactly where it went. There was no construction there, and as a result, citizens turned to us saying: "We are paying for this, but the construction is not starting, they have also closed the sales office, we cannot find them." We have opened a separate case on this matter. The investigation is being conducted by the Tashkent city prosecutor's office. In that case, we have detained the official head of "Izmir Art Stroy" and other citizens involved in that case. Of the 7 billion soums of damage that have been identified so far, they have paid us 5 billion soums as a deposit. This is in another case [in Yanihayot]. But the main person behind this, as you probably know, is a person named Akmal. A person named Akmal is currently hiding from the investigation. We did not put him on the wanted list, we did not get sanctions, because if he is imprisoned now, the compensation for the damage will stop, and your "doms" will also stop. [The issue of recovering damages] will become hopeless. After arresting them, they will have to be brought to court, the court will sentence them. Their conviction is no solution for anyone, and you may be left homeless, so we are still thinking about what to do with it," said Urmanov.

**The railway was not taken into account when issuing the construction permit**

The city prosecutor said that there is another aspect to the "Izmir House" issue: the construction permit was invalidated because the railway was not taken into account.

"I was explained that when issuing the construction permit for the "dom" on Jarkurgan Street, the Ministry of Construction granted the construction permit without taking the railway into account. Later, the railway company filed a lawsuit, saying: "We have a railway "branch" here, and this was not taken into account when issuing the construction permit." [After that] the construction permit issued by the Ministry of Construction was revoked. What does this mean? When this house is finished tomorrow, it will be considered built without the permission of the town planning council and will not be accepted for use, as a result, you will no longer have the opportunity to issue a cadastre. Now we will study the legality of the court's decision on this construction on Jarkurgan Street and consider the issue of filing a protest against the court's decision. We will file a protest saying, "The cancellation of the town planning permit was wrong, there are so many citizens in the interests of this place, there were such places, the court did not take them into account." There will be a trial, we will fight in court to restore the construction permit," said Anvar Urmanov.

Currently, the solvency of "Izmir Art Stroy" is being considered in the economic court. By the ruling of the Tashkent Interdistrict Economic Court on July 30, 2026, a case of insolvency (bankruptcy) was initiated against the company and the observation procedure was introduced. This does not mean that the company has been declared bankrupt, its further financial and legal fate will be decided in the economic court process.

**Some blocks were sold to another company**

One of the buyers of an apartment from "Izmir Art Stroy" said that he signed a contract on October 24, 2023. Over the past time, construction was postponed several times, and later blocks A and B, where the apartment he bought is located, were transferred to another company.

"Construction will begin in the first quarter of 2025 "It was said to be completed. When I came to check, the construction had stopped," he says.

The citizen said that later blocks A and B were bought by another company. However, when he contacted the new company, he was told that he had bought them from "Izmir Art Stroy". When he contacted "Izmir Art Stroy", he was told that the blocks had been sold to another company.

"We are in a dilemma now. Can we still buy these houses or not? "These houses are stuck between two companies," the citizen says.

He says that he paid 438 million soums for the apartment and made the payment in full.

**The project has also changed**

Another citizen says that he received two apartments, and the project of the houses under construction has changed later. According to him, when he arrived at the construction site in May 2025, he saw that construction was underway according to a different plan instead of the previous project. He did not want to receive the apartment in the new version and applied to cancel the contract.

"We have been stranded since May 2025, we cannot get our money," he says.

**The investigation will be transferred to the city's Internal Affairs Department**

At a meeting with citizens, the acting prosecutor of Tashkent city Anvar Urmanov listened to the investigators' reports, and citizens asked questions that interested them.

The criminal case was transferred to the investigation of the Tashkent city Main Department of Internal Affairs It was announced that additional citizens will be questioned and work will continue to identify the company's property.

"From today, we will take the case to the city. The city will be transferred to the investigation of the Main Department of Internal Affairs. We will soon interrogate more than 500 people," said Urmanov.

The prosecutor also said that measures will be taken in relation to the identified property and other assets, and the possibility of foreclosing citizens' homes will be considered.

"I will try to help you. I am on your side," said the capital's prosecutor.

"Kun.uz" will continue to monitor the situation, the investigation and court proceedings, as well as how citizens' rights are being ensured.