Two U.K.-registered companies with no apparent mining background won tens of millions of dollars in procurement contracts from Uzbekistan’s state-owned Almalyk Mining-Metallurgical Complex (AMMC) over the past three years, according to an investigation by OCCRP. The reporting found the firms were part of a wider network of companies spanning multiple jurisdictions that collectively secured more than $200 million in AMMC tenders since 2022.
AMMC, described as a “crown jewel” of Uzbekistan’s economy and a potential candidate for a foreign stock exchange listing, is a major producer of copper, silver, and gold and contributes a significant share of national tax revenues. The tenders examined by reporters covered equipment and raw-material supplies and represent around seven percent of AMMC’s total expenditures since 2022. AMMC did not respond to detailed questions about the contracts or delivery performance.
The investigation identified links between the tender-winning companies and two individuals: Grigoriy Khvan, an Uzbek businessman known for his role in the country’s table tennis community, and Felipe Guerrero, a Colombian national with no publicly identifiable mining-sector background. Reporters said these connections, combined with abrupt changes in official filings, raised questions about whether listed owners were acting as proxies.
One U.K. firm, Lemixton Solutions Ltd, reportedly won at least 56 AMMC tenders worth $22.53 million while filing dormant accounts in the U.K. for the same periods. Import-export records reviewed by OCCRP indicated shipments to AMMC during those years. After reporters made inquiries in late 2025, filings were amended in a rapid sequence: a British accountant previously listed as the person with significant control was removed, Khvan was added with control backdated to 2018, and then replaced weeks later by Guerrero, also backdated to 2018.
A similar pattern was reported at a second U.K. company, Golders Business Ltd, which also filed dormant accounts while winning at least $13 million in AMMC tenders and sending more than 100 shipments to the Uzbek enterprise. In both cases, the investigation noted that competing firms sometimes bid against one another for the same tenders even when they appeared to be under common ownership or control.
OCCRP also reported concerns involving procurement paperwork. Contracts worth more than $7 million included electronic signatures attributed to accounting associates who deny signing them or being involved, with at least one individual saying the matter was reported to British authorities.
Beyond the U.K., the investigation traced related activity to Georgia and Singapore. In Georgia, a medical tourism coordinator reportedly purchased companies for a nominal sum after they had already been awarded tens of millions of dollars in AMMC tenders. In Singapore, three companies were reported to have won more than $100 million in AMMC contracts, with corporate records and third-party filings suggesting overlapping links to entities associated with Khvan, though representatives disputed any shared ownership or control.
The findings come as Uzbekistan publicly emphasizes stronger anti-corruption standards and as AMMC’s potential privatization increases scrutiny of procurement transparency and beneficial ownership disclosure.
