Tigran Gambaryan: Nigeria Used Me to Put Pressure on Binance

Binance's Head of Financial Crimes Tigran Gambaryan shared details of his arrest and release from custody in Nigeria with DC Blockchain Summit 2025 attendees.

According to Tigran Gambaryan, it was clear from the very beginning that the Nigerian authorities intended to use the illegally detained Binance top managers as hostages and were pursuing specific financial goals. To put pressure on the exchange, they brought fabricated charges of tax evasion and money laundering.

Specifically, Nigerian Information Minister Mohammed Idris stated that Binance and its employees are responsible for tax evasion, inciting the depreciation of the Nigerian naira, laundering illicit proceeds, and operating an illegal business.

“They saw me as an asset that they could use to extract billions from Binance,” Gambaryan said.

He stressed that his release was the result of strong international pressure, especially during the UN General Assembly in 2024.

“When the pressure on the Nigerian government increased significantly, they finally realized that I was more of a liability than an asset,” Gambaryan said.

The Binance top manager added that his health suffered during his imprisonment: he suffered from pneumonia and malaria, and also developed a herniated disc in his spine. Tigran Gambaryan was released from custody in Kuja prison on October 23, 2024, after eight months of imprisonment.

Источник: cryptocurrency.tech