A joint investigative report has revealed that Otabek Umarov, the son-in-law of Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, acquired citizenship in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in April 2023 while serving as a high-ranking national security official.
The investigation, published by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) and RFE/RL’s Uzbek Service, Ozodlik, also links Umarov to approximately $7 million worth of real estate in Dubai. Under Uzbek military law, which governed Umarov's role as the deputy head of the Presidential Security Service at the time, holding dual citizenship is strictly prohibited. Acquiring UAE citizenship typically requires a nomination by a royal court or a senior official and demands swearing an oath of allegiance to the Emirates, a process that presents potential counterintelligence risks and divided loyalties for security personnel.
Umarov was removed from his position in the security service in November 2024. This transition occurred in the aftermath of an October 2024 assassination attempt on Komil Allamjanov, who had recently stepped down as deputy head of the presidential administration. Allamjanov has since returned to government as an adviser to Saida Mirziyoyeva, the president's eldest daughter and powerful head of the presidential administration. By January 2026, Allamjanov was also designated to a specialized role as advisor-ambassador and representative of the presidential administration in the United States.
Following his departure from the security service, Umarov was appointed first deputy chairman of Uzbekistan’s National Olympic Committee, an organization chaired by his father-in-law, President Mirziyoyev. Meanwhile, leaked Dubai real estate records obtained by OCCRP indicate that at some point in 2025, Umarov became the owner of 13 properties in Dubai valued at around $7 million. These properties were originally purchased in 2021 and 2022 by his younger brother, Oybek Umarov. It remains unclear how or exactly when the deeds were transferred to Otabek Umarov, or whether they were acquired through purchase or as a gift.
Although Umarov is known for his expensive lifestyle—having been photographed wearing a limited-edition Richard Mille watch valued at up to $1.9 million—his official government salary does not align with such wealth. Public commercial registries show no record of Umarov owning private companies during his tenure as deputy security chief. Uzbek officials are not legally required to publicly disclose their income. In contrast, his brother Oybek maintains extensive business holdings in sectors such as banking, cement, and metalwork.
In late 2024, a high-ranking government source indicated that Umarov’s assets and businesses were registered under the names of other individuals. Among them was Ulugbek Shadmanov, who was implicated in an apparent effort to manipulate the United States sanctions system to target Allamjanov and another Uzbek official prior to the 2024 assassination attempt. Shadmanov, who was previously linked to an offshore company in the Pandora Papers, was arrested in Dubai in December 2024. Despite holding a UAE "Golden Visa" and having prominent legal representation, Shadmanov was rapidly extradited to Uzbekistan, reportedly bypassing standard legal procedures. Little has been disclosed regarding his case since.
The joint investigation highlights the opaque nature of Uzbek and Emirati political networks. It remains unknown who facilitated Umarov's UAE citizenship nomination or who within the Uzbek government was aware of the arrangement. Given the strict nomination requirements for UAE citizenship, observers note it is highly unlikely that Emirati authorities were unaware of Umarov's high-profile security role and political connections at the time of his naturalization.
