The Ministry of Internal Affairs published details of the case of Taftish.uz journalists detained on suspicion of extortion and fraud.

According to the department, representatives of the Taftish.uz publication, which is part of the structure of “Elite-media” LLC, created a criminal group and systematically engaged in extortion and fraud. It included:

  • group leader, informal head of Taftish.uz publication Gayrat Aberayev;
  • group members who worked as correspondents — Azizjon Yuldashev, Sardor Khamidov, Marjona Eshquvvatova, and Dilshod Nishonov.

Law enforcement officers found that the editorial office had turned criminal activity into a source of income. In addition to misleading citizens, they threatened to distribute videos that tarnished their honor and dignity, or demanded money to remove the previously published videos.

Thus, on the one hand, they received funds for “illuminating” appeals, and on the other hand, they demanded money for removing prepared materials, — the report says.

In November 2025, at the request of the head, Yuldashev and Nishonov prepared a video discrediting the management of the “Chilanzar Buyum Savdo Complex” shopping complex regarding a dispute between the market administration and a citizen who purchased the store there. The video was posted on the Taftish.uz YouTube channel on December 5th.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs added that the conflict between the entrepreneur and the market administration has already been reviewed by the court and a legal decision has been made. Taftish.uz representatives knew about this, however, for a reward from the applicant, they covered the situation unilaterally and distortedly. After that, G’ayrat Aberayev contacted the market administration through one of the group members, Sardor Hamidov, and demanded 40 million soums to remove the video. In return, he promised to post a message on the Telegram channel stating that the information in the video was not confirmed.

To disguise the fact of extortion, the market administration was forced to conclude a contract with Taftish.uz for 40 million soums. The execution was entrusted to S. Hamidov, to whose bank card 10 million soums were transferred from the required amount.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs also reported another incident. In November 2025, Marjona Eshquvvatova, Azizjon Yuldashev, and Dilshod Nishonov, for remuneration from one of the parties, prepared and posted a video with fabricated details about the activities of the Black plast construction company in the Samarkand region on the Taftish.uz YouTube channel.

Having threatened to distribute two more videos, they summoned company director H. Turayev to the Taftish.uz office and, under the pretext of alleged debt under the previously concluded contract between the two entrepreneurs for 20 billion soums, forced him to sign a written undertaking to pay an additional 20 billion soums within a month.

Pleased that the entrepreneur easily agreed to large payments to maintain his business reputation, the group members demanded an additional 60 million soums and, to conceal the illegal origin of the funds, forced him to conclude a contract with Taftish.uz for the specified amount, the Ministry of Internal Affairs reported.

When the entrepreneur couldn’t pay the money within the established timeframe, after threats from Eshquvvatova, Yuldashev and Nishonov spread discrediting materials on their channels. Having found himself in a hopeless situation, the entrepreneur transferred 30 million soums to the bank card of one of the group members on January 8 for removing the video, and another 30 million soums on January 12.

On October 9, 2025, Dilshod Nishonov, upon learning of a conflict between the Yusupov and Tumorov families in the Chust district of Namangan region, intervened in the criminal case materials and, for remuneration from one of the parties, collected false information insulting the honor and dignity of the Tumorov family. He prepared and distributed 18 videos on his channel for 10 consecutive days.

For these actions — spreading false information and humiliating the honor and dignity of citizens — he was held administratively liable on November 10, 2025, by the decision of the Pop District Court under Article 461 of the Code of Administrative Offenses (Violation of privacy). Despite this, Dilshod Nishonov, leaving the courthouse, went to the Tumorov family and, threatening to distribute two more videos, promised to remove 18 previously published videos for $300, which he later received, but he did not fulfill his promise. After this, he acted together with Azizjon Yuldashev and demanded an additional 1.8 million soums.

Feeling impunity, Nishonov and Yuldashev forced the victim to agree to the payment of 16 million soums for the removal of video materials, again forcing him to conclude a contract with Taftish.uz to conceal criminal proceeds, the Ministry of Internal Affairs added.

Currently, it has been established that members of this criminal group have committed crimes stipulated by Articles 139 (Slander), 168 (Fraud), 165 (Extortion), and 244-6 (Dissemination of False Information) of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan. They are all detained.

Citizens affected by the actions of the aforementioned individuals were asked to contact the Investigation Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs at 71 231 40 66.

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