By Abiola Olawale
Tigran Gambaryan, Binance’s Head of Financial Crime Compliance, has made serious allegations against three Nigerian lawmakers, claiming they demanded a $150 million bribe in cryptocurrency during his detention in Nigeria.
This development has prompted some Nigerians to call for the prompt arrest of the affected three lawmakers and made to face investigations.
Gambaryan who took to his verified X account to share details of his ordeal on Friday, accused three lawmakers of the House of Representatives —Peter Akpanke, Philip Agbese, and Ginger Obinna Onwusibe—of demanding a $150 million bribe in cryptocurrency to secure his release.
According to him, the demand was allegedly made during a staged meeting on January 5, 2024, which he described as a “Mickey Mouse operation.”
He claimed the lawmakers set up fake cameras and media to make the meeting appear official, but the cameras were not even plugged in.
The lawmakers named in the allegations hold significant positions. Ginger Obinna Onwusibe chairs the House of Representatives Committee on Anti-Corruption, while Philip Agbese is the Deputy Spokesperson of the House. Peter Akpanke represents the Obanliku/Obudu/Bekwara constituency.
Gambaryan’s post on X read in part: “The DSS was involved in the House of Representatives matter. We met with them at their office on Friday, January 5, 2024, as a prerequisite to our meeting with the House of Representatives. They alluded to the fact that we had to comply with whatever the House members instructed us to do.
“At the House meeting, there were three members present. Two of them were Peter Akpanke and Philip Agbese, both working under the leadership of Ginger Obinna Onwusibe. There was a third House 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 $150m bribe, paid in cryptocurrency into their wallets. A Micky Mouse operation at its best.”
However, Agbese, in his reaction vehemently denied the allegations. The lawmaker who spoke with the press asserted: “I am outraged by the false allegations made by Tigran Gambaryan, an executive of the controversial crypto firm Binance, claiming that I was among those who demanded a $150m bribe from him.
“These allegations are false. I was not part of any meeting with any Binance executive regarding money for any purpose. The leadership of the committee took the matter to court, and Binance has already apologised.
“Let it be on record that I am not a member of the Committee on Economic and Financial Crimes. I visited my colleague, Hon Peter Akpanke, in his office, where he was meeting with some visitors about an activity of his committee, with Hon Peter Anakwe, a member of the committee present. We exchanged pleasantries and, in character with my person as an avid pursuer of knowledge, discussed Binance’s activities that did not include any demand from anyone.
“It was during this visit to the office of Hon Akpanke, with Hon Anekwe present, that he told me they were interfacing with the Binance team from abroad over a referral to their committee. What transpired between the two of them and the Binance executive after I left the office is left to them.”
The New Diplomat reports that Gambaryan, a US citizen traveled to Nigeria in early 2024 alongside his colleague Nadeem Anjarwalla, Binance’s regional manager for Africa, to address regulatory concerns between the cryptocurrency exchange and the Nigerian government.
The Federal Government had accused Binance of manipulating foreign exchange rates, contributing to the devaluation of the naira, and facilitating money laundering.
The government claimed that $26 billion had passed through Binance’s platform without proper traceability, leading to the detention of Gambaryan and Anjarwalla in February 2024.
While Anjarwalla escaped custody under mysterious circumstances in March 2024, Gambaryan remained detained for eight months in Kuje Prison facing charges of money laundering and tax evasion. In October 2024, the Nigerian government dropped the charges against Gambaryan, and he was released, returning to the US.
