Uzbek Banker Kidnapped in Paris and Tortured for Ransom
Kahramonjon Olimov, a prominent Uzbek banker and owner of Anorbank, was kidnapped in central Paris on June 23, according to Le Monde. He was held captive for nearly two days, severely beaten and threatened with death before being released after a ransom was paid.
Olimov had arrived in France to meet with business partners. He met a woman of Caucasian origin shortly before the incident. They arranged to dine together at a Paris restaurant. However, as he left his hotel nearby, he was abducted.
He was later transported to a basement in a villa in Nice. There, he was tortured for three hours, mock-hanged and threatened with mutilation. The assailants accused him of owing $10 mln and demanded payment.
«I was morally exhausted. I did not eat anything, I felt sick,» Olimov said during interrogation. He was forced to record an apology video and threatened with rape, with the footage promised to be spread in Uzbekistan if demands were not met.
The kidnapper also spoke about transferring money via bitcoin and seemed well-informed about Olimov’s European investments, including hotels in Germany. He even mentioned Olimov’s children and threatened to kidnap his personal secretary.
The attackers showed deep knowledge of the internal affairs of Anorbank, further raising suspicions of an insider connection.
Eventually, Olimov agreed to pay $5 mln in ransom and to send an additional $200 thousand to an intermediary in Tashkent. Once the first payment was confirmed, he was released and returned to Paris, where he contacted French authorities.
French police arrested a Turkish national in early July suspected of involvement in the abduction. Olimov’s translator later confirmed that the banker had returned to Tashkent and hired private security.
His personal secretary, commenting to the French outlet, said: «It was deeply unpleasant for him, but at least it’s over now.»
Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports that between January and April 2025, nearly 6,800 French citizens visited Uzbekistan.
