The police officers in Uzbekistan's Tashkent Region have arrested a cybercriminal who illegally seized charitable donations.

The 21-year-old resident of Bukhara Region, identified as M.D., exploited social media to enrich himself, The Caspian Post reports via Uzbek media.

He downloaded Instagram videos appealing for help for sick children, edited them to replace the original bank details with his own card registered under his mother’s name, and diverted the funds for personal use.

Preliminary investigations show that from October 2025 until his arrest, around 2,000 transactions totaling 161 million UZS were funneled into the account. All the money was reportedly spent on personal expenses.

A criminal case has been opened under Article 168, Part 3, Clause “g” of the Criminal Code of Uzbekistan (fraud), and investigations are ongoing.

The operation was carried out by the Tashkent Regional Department for Combating Cybercrime following citizen reports.