Former UzAgroLeasing Head Sentenced to Six Years in Chinese Cotton Harvester Case
Uzbekistan
Former chairman of the board of UzAgroLeasing JSC Nodir Otajonov has been sentenced to six years in prison in a case involving cotton harvesters imported from China that, according to court documents, were presented as new. Haydar Abdushukurov, founder of Inter Agromash LLC, was also convicted in the case.
According to the court document, in spring 2024 Otajonov reached an agreement with representatives of a Chinese company to import 100 previously used harvesters retrofitted as the “4MZ-2A” model. The price was set at $80,000 per machine. The case materials state that Otajonov was promised a 15% share of the total contract value in return for securing the contract.
A contract was arranged through Inter Agromash for the import of 100 harvesters worth $8 million. Otajonov also signed a guarantee letter stating that UzAgroLeasing would cover the company’s payment obligations if they were not settled on time. Between August and October 2024, according to the court document, he received $1.18 million through an acquaintance from Yuan Lenyang, a translator for the Chinese company. The money was kept in a safe at his friend’s home in Tashkent’s Yunusabad district.
In July 2024, UzAgroLeasing approved the supply of 35 harvesters at 1.65 billion soums each. The machinery, worth 57.75 billion soums in total, was intended to be provided to farmers under leasing agreements. The court found that the machines had actually been manufactured in 2019–2020 and subsequently retrofitted.
The imports began on August 22. The machines were declared as new in customs documents and, according to the case materials, this resulted in an evasion of 7.5 billion soums in customs payments. Twenty-nine harvesters were supplied under leasing agreements to farms in Karakalpakstan and the Kashkadarya, Tashkent, Navoi and Bukhara regions. After the actual condition of the machines became known, some farmers returned them.
Otajonov and Abdushukurov denied the charges. At the appeal hearing, the former UzAgroLeasing head said he had not participated in the contract or customs clearance and alleged that he had been subjected to pressure during the investigation. The court stated, however, that the defendants’ guilt was supported by witness testimony, expert examinations, telephone conversations and other documents.
The Yunusabad District Criminal Court issued its verdict on October 28, 2025. Otajonov was sentenced to six years in prison, barred for three years from positions involving official and material responsibilities within UzAgroLeasing, and fined 550 basic estimated values — 206.25 million soums. Abdushukurov received five years in prison and the same fine. On June 23, 2026, the appellate court rejected the defendants’ appeals.
A contract was arranged through Inter Agromash for the import of 100 harvesters worth $8 million. Otajonov also signed a guarantee letter stating that UzAgroLeasing would cover the company’s payment obligations if they were not settled on time. Between August and October 2024, according to the court document, he received $1.18 million through an acquaintance from Yuan Lenyang, a translator for the Chinese company. The money was kept in a safe at his friend’s home in Tashkent’s Yunusabad district.
In July 2024, UzAgroLeasing approved the supply of 35 harvesters at 1.65 billion soums each. The machinery, worth 57.75 billion soums in total, was intended to be provided to farmers under leasing agreements. The court found that the machines had actually been manufactured in 2019–2020 and subsequently retrofitted.
The imports began on August 22. The machines were declared as new in customs documents and, according to the case materials, this resulted in an evasion of 7.5 billion soums in customs payments. Twenty-nine harvesters were supplied under leasing agreements to farms in Karakalpakstan and the Kashkadarya, Tashkent, Navoi and Bukhara regions. After the actual condition of the machines became known, some farmers returned them.
Otajonov and Abdushukurov denied the charges. At the appeal hearing, the former UzAgroLeasing head said he had not participated in the contract or customs clearance and alleged that he had been subjected to pressure during the investigation. The court stated, however, that the defendants’ guilt was supported by witness testimony, expert examinations, telephone conversations and other documents.
The Yunusabad District Criminal Court issued its verdict on October 28, 2025. Otajonov was sentenced to six years in prison, barred for three years from positions involving official and material responsibilities within UzAgroLeasing, and fined 550 basic estimated values — 206.25 million soums. Abdushukurov received five years in prison and the same fine. On June 23, 2026, the appellate court rejected the defendants’ appeals.
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