JUST-IN: Binance Executive Accuses 3 Nigerian Lawmakers Of Demanding $150m Bribe

Tigran Gambaryan, a Binance executive who was detained in Nigeria for several months, has alleged that three Nigerian federal lawmakers demanded a $150 million bribe from him. Gambaryan made these claims in a post on his X (formerly Twitter) handle on Friday, after being released by Nigerian authorities following the intervention of the United States government.

In the lengthy post, Gambaryan recounted his time in detention and trial in Nigeria. He claimed that several lawmakers set up a meeting and requested the bribe, to be paid in cryptocurrency to their personal wallets.

The lawmakers he accused were Peter Akpanke, Philip Agbese, and Ginger Obinna Onwusibe, all members of the House of Representatives. Gambaryan explained that the meeting was orchestrated under the pretext of an official discussion, with fake cameras and media to give the impression that the proceedings were legitimate.

The executive described the demand for the bribe as a “Mickey Mouse operation” and criticized the whole setup. He also refuted claims about money allegedly escaping Nigeria through Binance, stating that it was simply trade volume data and not funds leaving the country.

Gambaryan further elaborated on other aspects of the situation, including false claims made about the escape of another Binance official, Nadeem, and the illegal nature of their detention. He accused Nigerian authorities of using Binance as a scapegoat for economic issues, including the devaluation of the naira, which he attributed to President Tinubu’s monetary policies.

The Binance executive’s post provides a detailed account of what he claims to be misconduct by Nigerian lawmakers and law enforcement.