Ignore baseless claims by Binance executive tried in Nigeria, FG tells citizens
The Federal Government of Nigeria has issued a strong rebuttal to the allegations and misinformation being peddled by Tigran Gambaryan, an American executive of Binance, who was recently tried in Nigeria for financial crimes.
In a statement released by the Honourable Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, the government expressed concern over Gambaryan’s defamatory claims against Nigerian officials and urged the public to dismiss them entirely.
Recall that The Head of Financial Crime Compliance at cryptocurrency firm, Binance, Tigran Gambaryan, who spent eight months in a Nigerian detention facility over alleged corruption, identified three Nigerian lawmakers who allegedly demanded a bribe of $150m from him.
On X account, Gambaryan named Philip Agbese, Ginger Onwusibe and Peter Akpanke, all members of the House, as the men who allegedly demanded the huge sum from him
In response, The Federal Government reaffirmed its commitment to upholding the rule of law and protecting the integrity of its officials against malicious and baseless accusations.
The Statement reads in full: “The Federal Government of Nigeria notes with concern the outrageous allegations, misinformation, and defamatory statements being disseminated by Tigran Gambaryan, an American personnel of Binance who was recently tried in Nigeria for financial crimes.
“While the Federal Government of Nigeria is reluctant to engage Mr. Gambaryan, due to the high-level diplomatic intervention that resolved his case, we are compelled to set the record straight to prevent his falsehoods from gaining traction.
“The first visit of Mr. Gambaryan and his colleagues to Nigeria was at their own discretion, and the Government was not officially involved. However, when the Government’s attention was drawn to an alleged bribery demand during that trip, an investigation was immediately launched, despite there being no formal complaint from anyone.
“Mr. Gambaryan’s second visit to Nigeria was part of a wider probe into the criminal manipulation of the Nigerian currency through peer-to-peer platforms like Binance, but investigators were frustrated by the tactics deployed by Gambaryan and his team.
“Mr. Gambaryan was released by the Nigerian government in October 2024 on humanitarian grounds and following a high-level diplomatic intervention that ended with tangible benefits for Nigeria. The government rejected Binance’s offer of a $5 million down payment in exchange for Mr. Gambaryan’s freedom, in favour of a more beneficial settlement with the American government.
“We categorically deny the retaliatory claims made by Mr. Gambaryan against Nigerian officials involved in his case, and we urge the public to disregard these false accusations in their entirety.
“It is essential to note that Mr. Gambaryan’s allegations are not only unsubstantiated but also lack credibility, given his apparent motive to discredit and intimidate those who ensured he faced justice.
“However, we are confident that both the Nigerian and American judicial systems will provide Mr. Gambaryan with a fair opportunity to substantiate his claims in court. Until then, we advise the public to exercise caution and not be swayed by Mr. Gambaryan’s unfounded and malicious claims,” the statement ended.
