The Head of Financial Crime Compliance at cryptocurrency firm, Binance, Tigran Gambaryan, who spent eight months in a Nigerian detention facility over alleged corruption, has identified three Nigerian lawmakers who allegedly demanded a bribe of $150m from him.
Nigerian authorities detained Gambaryan and his colleague, Nadeem Anjarwalla, a 37-year-old British Kenyan who serves as the regional manager for Africa at Binance.
Both were charged with money laundering involving $35 million, as initiated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Anjarwalla managed to escape from custody on March 22, 2024.
However, Gambaryan was released following the intervention of the United States government.
While in detention, the Binance boss said some lawmakers in the House of Representatives demanded bribes from him.
Taking to his verified X handle, 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.
Gambaryan’s post on X read in part, “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.
“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.
“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 Micky Mouse operation at its best.”
Reacting to the development, however, Agbese, who doubles as the Deputy Spokesman of the House, has called on the Binance boss to support his claims with evidence or face the consequences of his actions.
The Benue lawmaker said, “I am outraged by the false allegations made by Tigran Gambaryan, an executive of the controversial crypto firm Binance, claiming that I was among those who demanded a $150m bribe from him.
“These allegations are false. I was not part of any meeting with any Binance executive regarding money for any purpose. The leadership of the committee took the matter to court, and Binance has already apologised.
“Let it be on record that I am not a member of the Committee on Economic and Financial Crimes. I visited my colleague, Hon Peter Akpanke, in his office, where he was meeting with some visitors about an activity of his committee, with Hon Peter Anakwe, a member of the committee present. We exchanged pleasantries and, in character with my person as an avid pursuer of knowledge, discussed Binance’s activities that did not include any demand from anyone.
“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.”
He said he never saw the visitors again after the meeting and did not afterwards attend any meetings with Binance executives, the EFCC or the DSS.
“I am aware that when this issue was first raised, the Chairman of the Committee went to court and Binance apologised. So, all inquiries should be directed to the committee, not to Hon. Philip Agbese,” he stated.
The lawmaker noted that the world of cryptocurrency is new to him, saying, “I have never used any cryptocurrency as I do not have a crypto wallet anywhere in the world. I could not have asked for funds to be credited to a non-existent wallet.
“Gambaryan and his associate, who escaped from prison, should return to the EFCC and defend themselves. Instead of trying to implicate me, they should focus on addressing the allegations against them.
“As a consequence of the foregoing, I demand that Tigran Gambaryan publishes any evidence that links Hon Philip Agbese to the issue. The man has spewed many other lies in his report about the government demanding information on opposition elements and other outrageous claims.
” I further demand that failing to provide evidence as stated, Tigran Gambaryan must cause a retraction of his malicious claims and publication and apologise to me within the next seven days or face legal action from my lawyers.”
He added that he has always been a target of foreign forces, noting, “This is not the first allegation against me by a foreign entity. The first was that I worked for the past government and the Armed Forces to promote Nigeria’s agenda, which shows the extent of desperation by entities that are interested in undermining public office holders they perceive as nationalistic.”
Onwusibe, who represents Isiala Ngwa North/Isiala Ngwa South Federal Constituency, Abia State, chairs the House Committee on Anti-Corruption.
He declined to comment when contacted by PUNCH Online, saying, “I’m already in court with them on this same issue. I don’t need to respond again as I briefed the press on this last year when it happened.”
Efforts to reach Akpanke for his comment were not fruitful. – Punch.
