About an article published on Gazeta.uz website

On September 27, 2020, the reporters of Gazeta.uz website published an article headed ‘Mass Media Published Secret Financial Documents of the FinCEN’ with the reference to the data of ICIJ - the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. This article makes mention of transactions by JSC “National Bank for Foreign Economic Activities of the Republic of Uzbekistan”.

FinCEN (Financial Crime Network) collects data on all transactions of American banks, as well as foreign credit institutions that have correspondent accounts with American banks. The data on transactions that appear in the Network do not always mean involvement in money laundering, financial crimes and related deals. The FinCEN Network also collects data on suspicious transactions, which may include some transactions of legal entities and individuals that raise doubts among bank employees.

On its website, ICIJ has provided access to all transactions worth more than $ 2 trillion for 2016-2017.

It’s important to note that Uzbekistan has been a member of the FATF (Financial Action Task Force) since 2005. Moreover, Uzbekistan adopted the Law No. 660-II concerning the Counteraction of the Legitimization  of Proceeds of Crime and the Financing of Terrorism, as well as the Commercial Banks’ Internal Regulation Concerning the Counteraction of the Legitimization of the Proceeds of Crime and the Financing of Terrorism registered by the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Uzbekistan on May 23, 2017 under No. 2886, and the JSC “National Bank for Foreign Economic Activities of the Republic of Uzbekistan” strictly adheres to the recommendations and requirements of this law and regulations and complies with all international standards concerning the counteraction of the legitimization of the proceeds of crime and the financing of terrorism.

Under these circumstances it is important to note that the mentioned banking transactions refer to official interbank transactions and were carried out in compliance with the Commercial Banks’ Internal Regulation Concerning the Counteraction of the Legitimization of the Proceeds of Crime and the Financing of Terrorism registered by the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Uzbekistan on May 23, 2017 under No. 2886, and have no signs of suspicious transactions.

NBU Internal Control Department