The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) pressed on with its money laundering case against Binance Ltd, a cryptocurrency platform, and its executive, Tigran Gambaryan, on Thursday, June 20, prompting a response from his wife, Yuki Gambaryan.
According to local media, EFCC’s lead counsel, Ekele Iheanacho, appeared during the proceedings, enabling the cross-examination of Securities Exchange Commission’s director, Abdulkadir Abbas, to proceed.
This development comes just days after the court cleared Tigran Gambaryan, a 39-year-old American, and Nadeem Anjarwalla, who had fled, of tax evasion charges related to Binance in a case brought by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) on Friday, June 14.
The court made the decision in a short ruling following fresh amended charges filed by the FIRS, a federal government agency, because of a notice from Binance about its appointment of a Nigerian representative named Ayodele Omotilewa.
Family reaction
In a statement to the press, Yuki, Tigran Gambaryan’s wife, expressed her confusion about why the EFCC cannot follow FIRS’s example and release her husband. She also urged the United States government to expedite his release. She said,
“It is time for the Nigerian authorities to do the right thing and let my innocent husband go. Tigrans and my own tax dollars get sent to Nigeria in aid every year. Nigeria is supposed to be an ally. I refuse to believe that our State Department cannot do more to have an innocent American citizen released.”
Lawmakers advocate for Gambaryan’s release
Members of the U.S. Congress Chrissy Houlahan and French Hill met Tigran Gambaryan in Kuje Prison in Nigeria on Thursday, June 20. According to them, Gambaryan has suffered malaria and double pneumonia and has lost a lot of weight due to neglect in the provision of medical attention.
Houlahan and Hill have called for Gambaryan’s immediate humanitarian release, given the poor prison conditions and his health state.
The lawmakers’ visit came after 18 US Congress members wrote a joint letter to President Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken urging them to intervene for Gambaryan’s release.
Background of the case
Binance regional manager Nadeem Anjarwalla and Binance head of financial crime compliance Tigran Gambaryan were detained in Nigeria on Feb. 26. Gambaryan had traveled to the country from the United States to participate in the company’s defense against charges of tax evasion and money laundering.
Binance and its executives were faced with two separate suits by the FIRS and EFCC. The former bordered on tax evasion, while the latter involved money laundering and foreign exchange contravention.