The Head of Financial Crime Compliance at Binance, Tigran Gambaryan, has accused three Nigerian lawmakers of demanding a $150 million bribe while he was in detention.
Gambaryan, who spent eight months in a Nigerian detention facility over alleged financial crimes, named the lawmakers in a social media post on his verified X account.
Gambaryan and his colleague, Nadeem Anjarwalla, the regional manager for Africa at Binance, were detained by Nigerian authorities on allegations of money laundering involving $35 million.
The charges were brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Anjarwalla, a British-Kenyan national, escaped from custody on March 22, 2024, while Gambaryan remained detained until his release following diplomatic intervention by the United States government.
According to Gambaryan, while he was in custody, members of Nigeria’s House of Representatives demanded a bribe in cryptocurrency.
He alleged that lawmakers Philip Agbese, Ginger Onwusibe, and Peter Akpanke orchestrated the demand.
In his post, Gambaryan recounted a meeting with Nigerian lawmakers, stating: “The DSS was involved in the House of Representatives matter. We met with them at their office on Friday, January 5, 2024, as a prerequisite to our meeting with the House of Representatives. They alluded to the fact that we had to comply with whatever the House members instructed us to do.”
He further claimed that the lawmakers staged a fake official meeting, using non-functional cameras for appearances, before making the bribery demand.
“At the House meeting, there were three members present. Two of them were Peter Akpanke and Philip Agbese, both working under the leadership of Ginger Obinna Onwusibe. There was a third House member, but I don’t recall his name,” Gambaryan wrote.
He added, “They set up fake cameras and media to make the meeting appear official, but the cameras weren’t even plugged in. As you may already know, this ended with them asking for a $150m bribe, paid in cryptocurrency into their personal wallets. A Mickey Mouse operation at its best.”
In response to Gambaryan’s claims, Philip Agbese, who also serves as the Deputy Spokesman of the House of Representatives, denied the allegations and challenged Gambaryan to provide evidence.
He stated that the Binance executive must substantiate his claims or face legal consequences.
Agbese recounted his limited involvement in the situation, saying, “It was during this visit to the office of Hon. Akpanke, with Hon. Anekwe present, that he told me they were interfacing with the Binance team from abroad over a referral to their committee. What transpired between the two of them and the Binance executive after I left the office is left to them.”
The Nigerian government has also dismissed Gambaryan’s claims, describing them as “outrageous allegations, misinformation, and defamatory statements.”
In an official statement, the government clarified that Gambaryan’s initial visit to Nigeria was made at Binance’s discretion and was not government-sanctioned. However, when reports of an alleged bribery demand emerged, authorities launched an investigation despite receiving no formal complaint from the Binance executive or his colleagues.
Regarding Gambaryan’s second visit, the government asserted that it was part of a broader investigation into Binance’s role in manipulating the Nigerian currency through peer-to-peer platforms. Officials accused Gambaryan and his team of obstructing the investigation.
The government further emphasised that Gambaryan’s release in October 2024 was based on humanitarian grounds and followed high-level diplomatic discussions. Nigeria reportedly rejected Binance’s offer of a $5 million settlement in favor of a more beneficial agreement with the U.S. government.
The statement claimed, “We categorically deny the retaliatory claims made by Mr. Gambaryan against Nigerian officials involved in his case,” the statement read. “His allegations are unsubstantiated and lack credibility, given his apparent motive to discredit and intimidate those who ensured he faced justice.”
Authorities reaffirmed their commitment to due process, stating that Gambaryan would have the opportunity to present any evidence through the judicial system. Meanwhile, the public has been advised to approach his claims with caution.
