Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The criminal case against a 17-year-old teenager in Bukhara, accused of illegal cryptocurrency trading, has been dismissed, according to former deputy Rasul Kusherbayev.

Kusherbayev noted that the court considered the youth’s sincere remorse, the absence of any societal threat, and his active cooperation with the investigation.

As a result, the teenager was returned his confiscated iPhone 15 Pro Max, which he had used for cryptocurrency trading on the Binance platform.

The former deputy highlighted that investigative authorities have the right to terminate such cases without mandatory prosecution, emphasizing the humane approach taken in this situation.

“We appreciate the investigator’s compassionate handling of the matter. This young man is no longer a criminal—he is a hero,” Kusherbayev remarked.

Previously, reports stated that the high school student had earned approximately 34 billion soums by speculating on cryptocurrency price fluctuations.

This drew the attention of law enforcement, which led to the seizure of his assets and the initiation of a criminal case under Article 278-8, which provides for up to five years of imprisonment for large-scale violations of cryptocurrency regulations.