Binance, the Crypto exchange platform, has expressed joy as the Federal High Court in Abuja cleared its executives, Tigran Gambaryan and Nadeem Anjarwalla, of tax evasion charges filed by the Federal Inland Revenue Service.
On Friday, June 14, 2024, the Federal High Court decided after the FIRS submitted amended charges, including dropping tax evasion allegations against Gambaryan and Anjarwalla, who absconded to Kenya.
The amendment included Binance appointing a Nigerian representative, Ayodele Omotilewa, to handle its local operations. The platform expressed profound joy regarding the tax charges against Gambaryan and Anjarwalla, the company’s decision-makers.
The platform said, “We are relieved that the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has served and filed amended charges today, resulting in tax charges against Tigran Gambaryan being dropped.
We commend the FIRS for their diligence and professionalism throughout this process. This situation unequivocally demonstrates Binance’s commitment to resolving this issue with the government transparently and cooperatively.”
This further illustrates that Tigran is not a decision-maker at Binance and does not need to be held for Binance to resolve issues with the Nigerian government. We await the court’s ruling, discharging Tigran from this matter completely.”
However, the crypto platform beacon on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to emulate the FIRS and permit Gambaryan to return home to his family.
The platform spoke out on Gambaryan’s deteriorating health resulting from the 110 days spent in detention. Since then, Gambaryan has been diagnosed with malaria and pneumonia.
Binance states that “Since Tigran collapsed in court on May 23 with malaria, his health conditions have worsened, and Tigran now has pneumonia. Despite a court order by Justice Emeka Nwite to take Tigran to the hospital immediately, it took the prison authorities 11 days to take him for a brief check-up.”
However, 16 U.S. Members of Congress, including the chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Michael McCaul, wrote to President Biden highlighting that he is a “U.S. Citizen wrongfully detained by a foreign government” and urging him to do more to secure his release.
