The controversy trailing the detention of Binance executive Tigran Gambaryan in Nigeria has taken another twist, as he has accused three Nigerian lawmakers of demanding a $150 million bribe for his freedom.
Recall that Gambaryan, who served as Binance’s head of financial crime compliance, was detained for months by Nigerian authorities over allegations of money laundering and enabling financial crimes in the country. He was later released after diplomatic intervention from the U.S. government, which forced Nigeria to drop charges against him.
Gambaryan has come forward with shocking revelations. In a recent post on X (formerly Twitter), he mentioned three members of Nigeria’s House of Representatives—Peter Akpanke, Philip Agbese, and Ginger Obinna Onwusibe—as people who allegedly tried to extort the massive sum from Binance.
Onwusibe is the chairman of the House Committee on Anti-Corruption, while Agbese is the deputy spokesperson of the House.
While detailing a January 5, 2024, meeting that took place at the office of Nigeria’s secret police, the Department of State Services (DSS), where Binance representatives were reportedly told they had to “comply with whatever the House members instructed,” Gambaryan wrote: “At the House meeting, there were three members present—Peter Akpanke, Philip Agbese, and Ginger Onwusibe. There was a fourth 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 $150 million bribe, paid in cryptocurrency into their personal wallets. A Mickey Mouse operation at its best.”
