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The Federal Government of Nigeria has denied allegations made by Tigran Gambaryan, an American Binance employee recently tried in the country for financial crimes.
Gambaryan’s claims are deemed unsubstantiated and lacking credibility, according to a statement signed by Mohammed Idris, the minister of Information and National Orientation and made available to Prime Business Africa.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelAccording to Idris, Gambaryan’s visits to Nigeria were for personal and investigative purposes. However, his actions during the second visit hindered investigators from probing the manipulation of the Nigerian currency through peer-to-peer platforms.
Gambaryan, who is the Head of Financial Crime Compliance at Binance, was detained for eight months for alleged tax evasion and other offences. He was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on 8 April 2024, on a five-count charge of tax evasion, currency speculation and money laundering to the tune of $34.4 million at the Federal High Court, Abuja.
He was released in October 2024 following what Idris described as “a high-level diplomatic intervention that ended with tangible benefits for Nigeria.”
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In a post on social media, the Binance executive alleged that some members of Nigeria’s House of Representatives arranged a meeting with him and demanded a $150 million bribe to be paid in cryptocurrency into their wallets.
However, the Federal Government dismissed the claims, saying it even rejected a $5 million offer from Binance for his freedom, opting for a more beneficial settlement with the American government instead.
The government, therefore, urged the public to disregard Gambaryan’s claims, emphasizing that the Nigerian and American judicial systems would provide a fair opportunity for him to substantiate his allegations in court.
“The government rejected Binance’s offer of a $5 million down payment in exchange for Mr. Gambaryan’s freedom, in favour of a more beneficial settlement with the American government,” part of the statement read.
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“We categorically deny the retaliatory claims made by Mr. Gambaryan against Nigerian officials involved in his case, and we urge the public to disregard these false accusations in their entirety.
“It is essential to note that Mr. Gambaryan’s allegations are not only unsubstantiated but also lack credibility, given his apparent motive to discredit and intimidate those who ensured he faced justice.”
