The EFCC continued its pursuit of a money laundering case against Binance and its executive, Tigran Gambaryan, on Thursday, June 20, leading to a response from his wife, Yuki Gambaryan.
As reported by local media, the EFCC’s main attorney, Ekele Iheanacho, was present during the proceedings, allowing for the cross-examination of the Nigerian Securities and Exchange Commission Director, Abdulkadir Abbas, to proceed.
This latest development followed a recent court ruling that cleared Gambaryan and Nadeem Anjarwalla of tax evasion charges related to Binance, a case brought by the FIRS on Friday, June 14. The court’s decision came after new amended charges were filed by the FIRS in response to a notice from Binance regarding the appointment of a Nigerian representative, Ayodele Omotilewa.
In a public statement, Gambaryan’s wife expressed her bewilderment at the EFCC’s actions and called for her husband’s release, urging the U.S. government to expedite the process.
Representatives Chrissy Houlahan and French Hill from the U.S. Congress visited Gambaryan in Kuje Prison on Thursday, June 20. Hill reported that Gambaryan had been suffering from malaria and double pneumonia, losing a significant amount of weight due to inadequate medical care.
Houlahan and Hill have demanded Gambaryan’s immediate humanitarian release due to the poor conditions in the prison and his deteriorating health.
The lawmakers’ visit followed a joint letter from 18 U.S. Congress members to President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, urging them to intervene in Gambaryan’s detention.
Gambaryan, Binance’s head of financial crime compliance, and regional manager Anjarwalla were detained in Nigeria on February 26. Gambaryan had traveled from the U.S. to assist in the company’s defense against tax evasion and money laundering charges.
Binance and its executives faced separate cases from the FIRS and EFCC, with the former focusing on tax evasion and the latter on money laundering and foreign exchange violations.
In related news, there has been a notable increase in the efforts of U.S. enforcement agencies to combat crypto-related crimes.