Key takeaways:
- A Binance executive under custody in Nigeria was able to leave town using a fake passport, according to people with knowledge of the case.
- The men reportedly had access to cell phones during their incarceration, among other privileges.
A Binance executive under custody in Nigeria was able to leave town using a fake passport, according to a report from local media.
The announcement coincides with rumors that the Nigerian government has opened criminal cases against the exchange for tax evasion. According to the local media, the Federal High Court in Abuja received the charges on Monday.
For several weeks, Nadeem Anjarwalla, an executive at Binance, and Tigran Gambaryan, his colleague, have been held captive at a guest house located in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria. Anjarwalla was transported to a neighboring mosque for prayers on Friday, March 22, but it is believed that he then escaped from custody.
Anjarwalla is said to have taken a Middle Eastern carrier flight out of Abuja. His British passport, which he used to enter Nigeria, is still being held by Nigerian authorities, so it’s unknown how he could board the international aircraft.
An immigration official stated that the Binance executive left Nigeria using a Kenyan passport. While in detention, Anjarwalla lacked additional travel documentation; thus, authorities are investigating how he obtained the passport.
The men reportedly had access to cell phones during their incarceration, among other privileges.
On February 26, Anjarwalla, the regional manager of Binance in Africa, and Gambaryan, a US citizen leading Binance’s criminal investigations team, arrived in Nigeria and were arrested.
An Abuja magistrate court received a criminal complaint against the guys, leading to their detention. According to the court, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) can detain the two for 14 days. The court also required Binance to provide the Nigerian government with data and information about Nigerian merchants using its platform.
When Binance declined to abide by the ruling, the court extended the officials’ imprisonment for another 14 days to prevent evidence from being tampered with.
The Nigerian government has taken strict action against people and groups connected to the Binance cryptocurrency exchange implicated in money laundering and terrorism financing. Government investigations claim that around $21 billion has been laundered through the Binance exchange.
