Tigran Gambaryan, Head of Financial Crime Compliance at Binance, has alleged that three Nigerian lawmakers demanded a $150 million bribe from him while he was detained in the country.
Gambaryan also accused National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu of seeking billions in crypto assets to fund his political ambitions. However, he did not specify the currency in which the alleged demand was made.
In a series of posts on his X handle (@TigranGambaryan) on Friday, he named two of the lawmakers as Peter Akpanke and Philip Agbese, stating they were working under the House Committee on Financial Crimes, chaired by Ginger Onwusibe. He could not recall the name of the third lawmaker.
Both the NSA’s office and the lawmakers have denied the allegations, with the federal government urging Nigerians to disregard what it called “false and outrageous claims.”
‘Fake Meeting Setup and Diplomatic Fallout’
Gambaryan alleged that the lawmakers staged a fake meeting, setting up non-functional cameras to make it appear official.
He claimed the $26 billion Binance was accused of moving out of Nigeria was simply cumulative trading data, not actual funds leaving the country.
He also accused Ribadu of mishandling diplomatic relations, claiming that his actions led to the U.S. limiting visas for Nigerian officials attending the UN General Assembly (UNGA) and President Joe Biden refusing to meet with President Bola Tinubu until his release was secured.
‘Illegal Detention and Escape Controversy’
Addressing the escape of his colleague, Nadeem Anjarwalla, Gambaryan dismissed reports that he fled during mosque prayers. While acknowledging that Nadeem contacted him in November, he claimed not to know how he managed to leave the country.
According to him, EFCC officials who were not involved in the escape were detained, and authorities allegedly fabricated evidence to justify their prolonged detention. He described the Nigerian government’s attempt to extradite Nadeem as “all noise,” arguing that no court would approve extradition for someone held in what he called “illegal detention.”
‘Binance Used as Scapegoat’
Gambaryan further claimed that Binance was unfairly blamed for the devaluation of the naira, asserting that the real cause was President Tinubu’s monetary policies. He alleged that Nigerian authorities accessed user data to target opposition figures accused of manipulating the exchange rate.
While Nigerian officials continue to refute his claims, Gambaryan’s allegations have added another layer of controversy to the ongoing dispute between Binance and the Nigerian government.
