Granted, $1B is not a huge amount in the grand scheme of things, but shouldn't the money go to the Uzbeki people, who were the ones getting 'screwed'?
I'm not sure you appreciate the extent to which the Karimov family are the state of Uzbekistan.
Typically companies worry more about their counterparty screwing (e.g. not delivering, delivering late, delivering low quality, or not paying, paying late or paying too little) them than the government.
You can't have your cake and eat it too. Jurisdictions that turn a blind eye to bribery indicate strong levels of corruption, which means you're vulnerable to your contract not being honoured by your partner and being unable to enforce penalties.