The DoJ has moved to seize around $1 Billion in assets in the Uzbekistan telecoms scandal.

It is alleged that VimpelCom and MTS, based in Russia, and TeliaSonera of Sweden gave bribes to secure a 3G mobile network in Uzbekistan. The Department of Justice has asked several European countries last week to freeze about $1 Billion in assets tied to Gulnara Karimova, based on these allegations.

Karimova, 42, is the eldest daughter of the Uzbek President Islam Karimov and has been under house arrest for corruption since September 2014. As many as 60 of her known associates have been given long prison sentences for financial fraud.

Last year, prosecutors in Switzerland opened a money laundering investigation into Karimova. They reportedly focused on allegations that TeliaSonera, the Swedish telecoms company, paid an intermediary, Takilant, who has ties to Karimova, $320 million for 3G phone rights in Uzbekistan.

Last month, a federal judge in New York said the DoJ could seize $300 million allegedly linked to the Uzbek telecoms bribery scandal. In a 9th July ruling, US District judge Andrew Carter allowed the DoJ to impound the funds held by Bank of New York Mellon Corp. in Ireland, Luxembourg, and Belgium, and in accounts at Clearstream Banking SA linked to the companies in Luxembourg.