A Nigerian court has adjourned the money laundering trial of Tigran Gambaryan, a Binance executive after he collapsed during a hearing on May 23. Gambaryan, who has been detained in Nigeria since April, is facing charges of foreign exchange violations and money laundering brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Gambaryan’s lawyer, Mark Mordi, informed the court of his client’s deteriorating health and requested an adjournment for medical treatment. The judge agreed, postponing the cross-examination and trial until June 20 and 21. This follows Gambaryan’s denied bail request on May 16 due to flight risk concerns by the EFCC.
The collapse adds another layer of drama to the ongoing saga between Binance and Nigerian authorities. The trouble began in March when the Nigerian Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) accused Binance and its executives, including Gambaryan, of tax evasion. The charges included failure to register and pay various taxes, along with facilitating tax evasion.
The Nigerian government has also expressed concerns about cryptocurrency exchanges influencing foreign exchange rates and has called for stricter regulations. Binance CEO Richard Teng claims Nigerian officials attempted to coerce Binance representatives into a secret cryptocurrency settlement earlier this year.
As tensions escalated, Binance ceased all Nigerian naira transactions in March, effectively exiting the Nigerian market. This incident highlights the complex and evolving legal landscape surrounding cryptocurrency in Nigeria. It remains to be seen how the Gambaryan case and the broader dispute between Binance and Nigerian authorities will be resolved.
Beyond the legal battles, this situation raises questions about the future of cryptocurrency regulation in Africa, a continent with a rapidly growing crypto market. The outcome could set a precedent for how African nations handle the regulatory challenges posed by the rise of digital currencies, impacting the broader adoption and integration of cryptocurrencies across the continent.
In early January, Tigran Gambaryan, head of Binance’s Financial Crime Compliance team, Nadeem Anjarwalla, Regional Manager for Africa and other colleagues traveled to Abuja, Nigeria’s capital. Their purpose was to engage in a meeting with Nigerian officials who were expressing concerns regarding alleged tax evasion and money laundering activities by Binance.
