Tigran Gambaryan, top official of Binance, at the weekend, maintained his stance on the bribery allegations against some Nigerian government officials and House of Representatives members.
Tigran Gambaryan
Gambaryan insisted Nigerian officials demanded bribes from him despite the denial of the Federal Government.
Recall that Gambaryan, who is Binance’s head of financial crime compliance, was detained in Nigeria from February to October 2024.
Nigerian government said his arrest was part of a broader investigation into alleged money laundering and economic destabilisation attributed to Binance’s activities in Nigeria.
On Friday, while recounting his initial experience on the issue on Twitter, Gambaryan accused some Nigerian lawmakers of demanding substantial bribes in cryptocurrency.
He specifically accused three lawmakers of soliciting a $150 million bribe from him, naming Philip Agbese, Ginger Onwusibe and Peter Akpanke as the three federal legislators who demanded the huge bribe from him to allegedly forestall his arrest and prosecution.
He further alleged that Nuhu Ribadu, National Security Adviser, sought significant payouts from Binance for his political ambition.
But in a swift response, Mohammed Idris, minister of Information and National Orientation, dismissed Gambaryan’s allegations as “outrageous” and “defamatory”.
Idris explained that the Nigerian government had rejected a $5 million offer from Binance intended to secure Gambaryan’s release, opting instead for a more favourable settlement with the US government.
He said Gambaryan’s claims lacked credibility and appeared to be an attempt to discredit Nigerian officials.
But Gambaryan in his latest post on the development on Saturday on his X, said the Federal Government used him as leverage to negotiate a beneficial settlement with the US government.
He wrote, “I was invited by the Nigerian FIU to a meeting in January. Last time I checked, they are part of the Nigerian government. House members also invited us to the meeting. Last time I checked, the legislative branch is also part of the Nigerian government.
“You said the second part was part of a probe? Lol. So when you invited us to a friendly meeting, you even lied about that. I was in a safe house for a month, watching TV, while you were trying to use me as leverage. You then panicked and knowingly charged me with blatantly false accusations.
“So I was released on humanitarian grounds? At least you’re finally admitting the need to release me. Last time you posted, you claimed my health was fine and that there was nothing wrong with me”.
The crypto expert further stated, “You investigated? Yet you didn’t take a statement from me? A person with direct knowledge. What a joke.
“You dragged my name through the mud for the past year with zero evidence against me, nearly killed me, and caused trauma to my family. And now you have the nerve to talk about defamation?
“I’ll put my credibility on the line anytime. In court? You mean like last time, when your attorneys didn’t even show up to the human rights suit in Abuja?
“Get your facts straight. I am done with this foolishness. I said my part. I’ll be off Twitter now since it’s pointless to argue with evil.”
While insisting that his claim was factual despite the denials, Gambaryan added, “What I shared was factual, based on my personal experiences and conversations with those who have direct knowledge of the events I discussed; information that was shared with both Nigerian and US law enforcement.
“So please, allow me to leave this behind and find peace”.
The Binance executive said it was the responsibility of law enforcement agents in both Nigeria and the US to see the investigation into the matter through.
He said he is no longer in law enforcement, adding that the responsibility of seeing this through to a logical conclusion now falls on those still serving in the United States and Nigeria.
He added, “Many requested that I stay on and provide further commentary on the issues I posted about yesterday (Friday). Here’s the hard truth: what I shared was meant to fill in the gaps left by Wired and NPR’s reporting.
“The reality is that last year was incredibly painful for me and my family. I dedicated my life to fighting crime as a Special Agent with the United States Department of the Treasury and as a compliance professional. It was an honour to serve my country and it was a blessing that they came to my rescue and mobilised the full force of the US Government when I was in need.
“Being dragged through court on “outrageous, baseless, and trumped-up charges”, he posited, “didn’t just hurt me but also brought immense pain to my family.
“I don’t want to see my kids cry because I’m not around. I don’t want to see videos of my 75-year-old mother on television in tears. I don’t want to see my wife crying on TV. I want to put this nightmare behind me and move on.”