Nursulton Khaydarov

Introduction

Nursulton Izzatulloevich Khaydarov, 33, a citizen of Uzbekistan and a lawful permanent resident of the United States, has been charged by federal indictment for his alleged involvement in the theft of numerous trucking cargo shipments — a scheme that federal prosecutors in Connecticut value at more than $12 million in stolen goods for the thefts they say he was personally involved in. Khaydarov was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on June 1, 2026, in Ontario, California, and on September 22, 2026, a federal grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment charging him with conspiracy, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years. He pleaded not guilty at his October 21, 2026 appearance in Bridgeport federal court and has been detained since his arrest. The case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative and was announced by U.S. Attorney David X. Sullivan and FBI New Haven Special Agent in Charge P.J. O’Brien.

Background Information

According to court documents and statements made in court, the Homeland Security Task Force has been investigating numerous trucking cargo thefts from locations in California and elsewhere. The investigation revealed that, since approximately September 2025, Khaydarov and others involved in the scheme purchased or otherwise assumed control of multiple motor carrier companies — including their U.S. Department of Transportation numbers, motor carrier identification numbers, business email accounts, and the identities of their owners. With that infrastructure in hand, the conspirators allegedly posed as the previous business owners and exploited the reputation and trust of established companies to win contracts for interstate shipments from freight brokers.

The mechanics of the alleged scheme were simple once trust was obtained: a driver picked up the shipment from the distribution location, but the load never made it to its intended destination and was subsequently reported stolen. At times, the release states, co-conspirators made ransom demands for the return of the stolen loads — turning the hijackings into extortion opportunities on top of the thefts themselves. The indictment alleges the conspiracy involved thefts of at least 24 cargo loads containing hard drives, stereo equipment, clothing, electronics, computer equipment, food items, nicotine products, and other goods.

The Controversy or Incident That Led to Their Cancellation

Charged, not convicted. Khaydarov faces a federal indictment charging conspiracy. U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt, that charges are only allegations, and that a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. He has pleaded not guilty.

The indictment adds a layer of identity deception to the cargo-theft allegations. It alleges that Khaydarov — who held a valid New Jersey commercial driver’s license — also possessed fraudulent driver’s licenses in the names of “Sayid Makhmudarov,” “Rustam Mavlonov,” “Dmitri Aganin,” “Roman Smirov,” and “Kairat Nurtas,” each depicting a photograph of Khaydarov himself but with altered facial features. Prosecutors present those documents as the operational tool kit of the scheme: multiple false identities that would let one man function as several different trucking operators across the paperwork-intensive freight industry.

It is alleged that the cargo thefts Khaydarov was personally involved in carry an estimated retail value of more than $12 million — a figure prosecutors derived from the at-least-24 stolen loads attributed to him within the broader conspiracy. The charging decision came in two stages: first the June 1, 2026 criminal complaint and arrest in Ontario, California, then the September 22, 2026 grand jury indictment in New Haven, where prosecutors chose to venue the conspiracy case. His October 21 arraignment in Bridgeport formalized the not-guilty plea and left the detention order from his arrest in place.

Public Reaction and Consequences

The case was announced as a Homeland Security Task Force prosecution — the whole-of-government partnership established by Executive Order 14159, “Protecting the American People Against Invasion,” which directs federal law enforcement at criminal cartels, transnational criminal organizations, and smuggling rings. HSTF New Haven combines agents from the FBI, DEA, HSI, ATF, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, the Transportation Department’s Inspector General, the departments of Labor and Commerce, and Connecticut State Police, with prosecutions led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut.

The investigation is being led by the FBI with the assistance of the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, IRS Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Fullerton and Ontario (California) Police Departments, and other state and local agencies — reflecting the multi-state footprint of a scheme that stole loads in California and was indicted in Connecticut. The release also invited anyone with information relevant to the ongoing investigation to contact the FBI New Haven Field Office, signaling that prosecutors regard the case as still developing. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David T. Huang and Larysa J. Kern are prosecuting.

Current Status

Khaydarov has pleaded not guilty to the conspiracy charge and has been detained since his June 1, 2026 arrest. The single count carries a maximum of five years’ imprisonment — a cap that reflects the conspiracy charge’s role as the organizing offense for a scheme prosecutors say spanned multiple states, multiple stolen carrier companies, and at least 24 stolen loads worth more than $12 million at retail. The investigation is described as ongoing, and the detention order means Khaydarov will face the remainder of the proceedings in custody. No trial date was announced in the release.

Impact on Their Career/Life

At 33, Khaydarov stands charged with turning the freight industry’s own trust mechanisms against it — assuming the DOT numbers, email accounts, and identities of real carriers so brokers routed legitimate shipments into thieves’ hands. A conviction on the conspiracy count would carry up to five years in prison, and because Khaydarov is a lawful permanent resident rather than a citizen, a federal conviction would also place his immigration status in jeopardy independent of any sentence. The alleged use of five fraudulent licenses with altered facial features, if proven, would document a deliberate identity infrastructure rather than opportunistic theft. For the trucking and brokerage industry, the case illustrates the exposure created when carrier identities change hands without verification — the exact vulnerability the indictment says the conspirators exploited since approximately September 2025.

Sources

• U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Connecticut, “Homeland Security Task Force: Uzbekistan National Charged with Stealing Trucking Cargo Theft Shipments,” October 21, 2026 — source