Switzerland has terminated criminal proceedings for money laundering against Gulnara Karimova, the daughter of the former president of Uzbekistan, due to her inability to attend the court hearings, Gazeta.uz reports.
According to the Swiss Federal Criminal Court, attempts were made to secure Karimova's participation, including negotiations with Uzbek authorities, but the request for her presence was ultimately rejected in January 2026. The judges noted that all possible steps had been taken to ensure the defendant's appearance in Switzerland.
In particular, in August 2024, court representatives visited Uzbekistan and met with the country's Supreme Court to discuss Karimova's possible participation in the trial, but to no avail. In January 2026, the Uzbek court finally rejected the request, the court said.
Following the court's decision, Gulnara Karimova's lawyer stated that "today's dismissal of the case by the Swiss Federal Criminal Court in favor of our client Gulnara Karimova is effectively tantamount to an acquittal under Swiss law."
Proceedings have also been dismissed against the second defendant, whom investigators considered her confidant. The court stated that his presence is also impossible due to international arrest warrants and the risk of detention while transiting third countries.
Meanwhile, proceedings against the former asset manager of Lombard Odier and the bank itself continue.
Karimova was accused of bribery, money laundering, and creating a criminal scheme through which hundreds of millions of dollars could have been siphoned off between 2005 and 2012. She is currently serving a prison sentence in Uzbekistan.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
April 28, 2026