Uzbekistan has placed Vladimir Dobrynin, the Founder and CEO of the technology company Humans, on the international wanted list due to criminal charges encompassing illegal gambling and money laundering.
An official notice regarding the search for the businessman has been published on the Interpol website.
These criminal allegations represent the latest stage in an increasingly hostile dispute between the tech executive’s business and the Uzbek state. Tensions escalated in June 2025 when Singapore-based Humans Mobile Ltd filed a lawsuit against Uzbekistan.
The company argued that actions by state bodies and local enterprises had inflicted significant financial harm on its operations.
At the same time, an international arbitration process was launched against Humans. Before this legal escalation, the Central Bank of Uzbekistan had already imposed strict measures on the local Humans subsidiary, suspending its operations for six months. Regulators said the decision was due to irregular payment processing linked to gambling services.
A spokesperson for the Central Bank stated at the time that an international arbitration centre had accepted the claim and was preparing to examine the case.
Furthermore, in the autumn of 2025, Uzbek law enforcement officers detained Bekhzod Botirov, a former Senior Manager at Humans. Similar to Dobrynin, he was arrested on charges of organising illegal gambling operations within the republic.
Uzbekistan legalised online casinos and sports betting in 2024, but has not yet issued any licenses. The delay is reportedly due to the development of measures to prevent unethical practices and protect vulnerable groups.
The legal framework for online casinos and sports betting in Uzbekistan is largely in place, but the timing of the first licenses remains uncertain
