Binance Executive Pleads Not Guilty to Money Laundering Charges

Tigran Gambaryan, a Binance executive who was detained by Nigerian authorities alongside his colleague Nadeem Anjarwalla, pleaded not guilty to money laundering charges at a high court on Monday.

Local reports state that Gambaryan, the head of Binance’s financial crime compliance, is on remand until trial, with the option to request bail until April 18.

Key points:

• Tigran Gambaryan and Nadeem Anjarwalla were detained in Nigeria in February amid accusations of processing illegal funds.
• Anjarwalla escaped custody in March, and both executives have filed suit against the Nigerian government for alleged human rights violations.
• The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has accused the same parties of money laundering.
• Despite Binance’s statement that Gambaryan should not be held responsible due to his lack of decision-making power, a Nigerian judge allowed the suit to continue.

The Binance executives’ detention in February came amidst accusations by the Nigerian government that the cryptocurrency exchange had facilitated the processing of billions of dollars in illegal funds.

The accusations also included manipulating the exchange rate for the country’s currency, the naira. Since Anjarwalla’s escape from custody in March, both executives have filed a lawsuit against the Nigerian government, alleging violations of their human rights.

Binance executives are also facing tax evasion charges

In addition to the money laundering charges, Binance, Gambaryan, and Anjarwalla are facing accusations of tax evasion from Nigeria’s Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS). The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has also leveled money laundering allegations against the same parties.

Last week, Binance released a statement urging that Gambaryan should not be held responsible for the company’s actions, as he does not possess any decision-making power within the organization.

However, a Nigerian judge, Justice Emeka Nwite, allowed the suit to proceed. The judge argued that Gambaryan and Anjarwalla had previously engaged with officials in the country regarding Binance’s operations and could therefore be considered representatives of the firm.

According to reports, Gambaryan pleaded not guilty to five counts, including one that alleged he, Anjarwalla, and Binance had used the crypto exchange to “unlawfully negotiate foreign exchange rates in Nigeria.”