Nigerian authorities have decided to drop some of the charges against Tigran Gambaryan, a detained executive from Binance, according to a statement from a family spokesperson released on June 14.
The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has removed tax charges against Gambaryan and his colleague Nadeem Anjarwalla, but they still face allegations of money laundering from Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The case is scheduled to continue on June 20.
Representatives for the Gambaryan family have criticized the charges as baseless, pointing to the dismissal of the tax charges by FIRS as proof that the accusations were unfounded from the start.
The latest update highlighted Gambaryan’s health after reports that he had collapsed in court on May 23 due to Malaria. His family’s representatives reported that his health has worsened, now suffering from pneumonia, with prison authorities refusing to provide information on his well-being.
Gambaryan and Anjarwalla were arrested by Nigerian authorities in February on charges of money laundering and tax evasion related to Binance, despite the company agreeing to exit the African nation.
In a dramatic turn of events, Anjarwalla managed to escape Nigerian custody in March, using his Kenyan passport to flee to the country. However, he was later apprehended in Kenya and faces extradition back to Nigeria.
The imprisonment of Gambaryan, a former IRS agent, has spurred an outpouring of support from lawmakers in the United States. They have written to the State Department and presidential envoy for hostage affairs Roger D. Carstens, claiming that he is being unlawfully detained. Additionally, 108 former prosecutors have joined in calling for Gambaryan’s release in a letter to the State Department on June 6.