Tigran Gambaryan, head of financial crime at crypto firm Binance, has accused three Nigerian lawmakers of allegedly demanding a $150 million bribe in cryptocurrency during a meeting with company representatives.
Gambaryan, who was detained for several months in Nigeria, made the allegations in a post on X, identifying the lawmakers as Peter Akpanke, Philip Agbese, and Ginger Obinna Onwusibe.
In May, the Nigerian government dismissed Gambaryan’s bribery allegations as “false and unfounded,” denying that any individuals had demanded $150 million in cryptocurrency to settle criminal charges against Binance.
What Gambaryan said:
According to Gambaryan, the meeting took place in January 2024 and was orchestrated by members of Nigeria’s House of Representatives under the leadership of Ginger Obinna Onwusibe.
He specifically named lawmakers Peter Akpanke and Philip Agbese as being present during the meeting, alongside a third unidentified member.
“They set up fake cameras and media to make the meeting appear official, but the cameras weren’t even plugged in,” Gambaryan alleged. “As you may already know, this ended with them asking for a $150 million bribe, paid in cryptocurrency into their wallets. A Mickey Mouse operation at its best,”
Gambaryan also implicated Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS), claiming that the intelligence agency was aware of and involved in the House of Representatives’ dealings.
At the onset of Binance’s challenges in Nigeria, Africa’s second-largest crypto-owning country, Central Bank Governor Yemi Cardoso alleged that Binance Nigeria had facilitated over $26 billion in transactions from unidentified sources within a year.
However, Gambaryan dismissed this accusation, saying Nigerian authorities had fabricated allegations against Binance.
“This information was simply cumulative trade data for Nigerians on the platform. This money didn’t leave Nigeria, it was just people buying and selling crypto,” he explained.
However, Gambaryan did not provide any documentary evidence to support his claims.
