A Binance executive, Tigran Gambaryan, has publicly accused three Nigerian lawmakers of soliciting a $150 million bribe in cryptocurrency.
Gambaryan, who was detained in Nigeria from February to October 2024 amidst a dispute between Binance and the Nigerian government, claims the bribe was requested during a meeting with the legislators.
He alleges the payment was to be made directly to their personal digital wallets.
Gambaryan and Binance’s Africa regional manager, Nadeem Anjarwalla, were initially arrested in February 2024 after traveling to Nigeria for discussions with government officials regarding Binance’s operations.
The Nigerian government had accused Binance of manipulating foreign exchange rates and harming the Nigerian economy. Anjarwalla subsequently escaped custody in March 2024, leaving Gambaryan to face prosecution.
According to Gambaryan’s social media post on X, he and Anjarwalla had met with Department of State Services (DSS) officials in January 2024, prior to the meeting with the House of Representatives members. He claims the DSS advised them to comply with any requests from the lawmakers.
Gambaryan described the House meeting, stating that three members were present and staged the meeting with fake, unplugged cameras to give the appearance of official proceedings. He asserts that the meeting concluded with the $150 million bribe request, to be paid in cryptocurrency to the lawmakers’ personal wallets.
This accusation follows similar claims made by Binance CEO Richard Teng in May 2024, who also alleged that unidentified individuals in Nigeria demanded $150 million in digital currency to resolve Binance’s legal issues.
The Nigerian government has refuted these allegations, accusing Binance of attempted blackmail.