Nigerian authorities have decided to drop some charges against Tigran Gambaryan, an executive from Binance who is currently detained, according to a spokesperson for his family on June 14.
The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has removed tax allegations against both Gambaryan and his colleague Nadeem Anjarwalla. However, the two individuals still face accusations of money laundering from Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), with a trial scheduled to resume on June 20.
Family representatives of Gambaryan have criticized the charges as baseless, pointing to the dismissal of the tax charges by FIRS as proof that the case against them is unjust from the start.
The health of Gambaryan has been a major concern, especially after reports that he fainted in court on May 23 due to Malaria. His family’s spokespersons have disclosed that his condition has worsened since then, with the added complication of pneumonia. Furthermore, they claim that authorities at the prison where he is being held are not providing clear information about his well-being.
Gambaryan and Anjarwalla were arrested in February by Nigerian authorities on charges of money laundering and tax evasion related to Binance, despite the company agreeing to exit the African nation.
In a dramatic turn of events, Anjarwalla managed to escape Nigerian custody in March using his Kenyan passport. However, he was later apprehended in Kenya and faces the possibility of being extradited back to Nigeria.
Support for Gambaryan has been pouring in from various quarters, with American lawmakers writing to the State Department and presidential envoy Roger D. Carstens about the unjust detention of the former IRS agent. Additionally, 108 former prosecutors have joined in the calls for Gambaryan’s release in a letter sent to the State Department on June 6.
In other news, there have been concerns about the weaponization of terrorism and the Israel-Gaza conflict to undermine the cryptocurrency market.