Swiss Authorities: Daughter of Former Uzbekistan Leader, Gulnara Karimova, Accused of Running Extensive Criminal Network

Swiss prosecutors have formally charged Gulnara Karimova, the daughter of Uzbekistan's former president, with operating an international crime syndicate that laundered hundreds of millions of dollars in bribes. It is alleged that Karimova used her position to take bribes in exchange for access to Uzbekistan's telecoms sector, which she then laundered through Swiss bank accounts and a network of accounts in other countries. The authorities have seized assets worth over $800m in connection with the investigation. Karimova, who is currently serving a prison sentence for embezzlement in Uzbekistan, denies the bribery charges. The Swiss indictment also names an unidentified businessman who ran the Uzbek branch of a Russian telecoms company. Apart from fraud, Karimova's organization is also accused of using violence and intimidation. The investigation into her finances has expanded beyond Switzerland to countries such as the UK, France, and the US.