SFO moves to seize London properties allegedly linked to 'robber baron princess' - Global Witness response

SFO makes moves to seize three London properties allegedly linked to Uzbek 'robber baron princess' Gulnara Karimova

London, 3 October 2018 - The Serious Fraud Office today announced it will begin action to recover three London properties, allegedly obtained using the proceeds of corrupt deals in Uzbekistan involving Gulnara Karimova and Rustam Madumarov. 

“When you are allegedly at the centre of an $850 million bribery scandal, stashing your cash in London property might seem like a sensible choice. Until today," said Ava Lee, Anti-Corruption Campaigner at Global Witness. 

"The SFO has shown it is serious about tackling the UK’s dirty money problem by making moves to seize three properties reportedly linked to the “robber baron princess,” formally known as Gulnara Karimova. This would never have come to light without weeks of work by investigative journalists. If the government is serious about cleaning up the London property market, it must stop stalling and introduce a register of the real owners of all UK properties this year.”