Prone to crime
An Uzbek citizen has been accused of stealing cargo worth more than $12 million in the US
**Prone to Crime**
In the US, a citizen of Uzbekistan has been charged with conspiracy to steal interstate freight shipments. According to investigators, the scheme affected at least 24 shipments of goods, and the retail value of the cargo in the episodes allegedly involving the defendant exceeds $12 million.
As reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Connecticut, the defendant appeared in federal court in Bridgeport and pleaded not guilty. He remains in custody following his arrest in June 2026 in the city of Ontario, California.
Investigators believe that starting in September 2025, the defendant and his alleged co-conspirators acquired or took control of trucking companies using their registration data, identification numbers, corporate emails, and ownership information. They then posed as the former business owners and entered into contracts for interstate cargo transportation. After the carrier picked up the cargo from a warehouse or distribution center, the shipment was not delivered to its destination, and was subsequently reported stolen. In some cases, the alleged participants in the scheme demanded a ransom for the return of the stolen property.
According to case files, the stolen goods included hard drives, audio equipment, clothing, electronics, computer hardware, food products, nicotine-containing products, and other merchandise.
The indictment also states that the defendant, a lawful permanent resident of the US, held a valid New Jersey commercial driver's license. In addition, fake driver's licenses under five different names were found in his possession. They featured the defendant's photograph, but with altered facial features.
A federal grand jury returned the indictment on September 22. The conspiracy charge carries a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison.