Baku, August 28, 2025 — A longtime staff member of the U.S. Embassy in Azerbaijan is facing serious fraud charges after allegedly embezzling more than half a million manats through elaborate financial schemes.
Rafiq Goyushov, who had worked in the embassy’s administrative department for nearly 20 years, is accused of systematically inflating housing costs and pocketing the difference. Investigators from the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ Cybercrime Directorate uncovered that when an apartment was rented for 200 manats per day for visiting diplomats, Goyushov reported the cost as 400 manats in official documents.
Through these and similar schemes, prosecutors allege, he unlawfully diverted more than 500,000 manats.
Criminal Case and Charges
The U.S. Embassy has been recognized as the victim in the case, which will be heard by the Baku Serious Crimes Court. According to Qafqazinfo, Goyushov has been charged under Article 178.4 (fraud in especially large amounts) of Azerbaijan’s Criminal Code. If convicted, he faces between 10 and 14 years in prison.
At present, a travel and police supervision order has been imposed as a pretrial restriction. His lawyer, Ilham Asadov, stated that Goyushov does not accept the charges. The stolen funds have not been reimbursed.
A Betrayal of Trust
The case has caused particular shock because, as a long-term U.S. Embassy employee, Goyushov could have been eligible for significant benefits — including the possibility of applying for a U.S. Green Card after many years of trusted service. Instead, investigators say, he chose to exploit the system for personal gain.
The scandal underscores both the vulnerability of diplomatic institutions to insider fraud and the tragic irony of an employee who allegedly sacrificed a stable future for short-term financial schemes.
