A Nigerian court has denied a bail application for Tigran
Gambaryan, an executive at Binance Holdings Ltd, citing his trial on money
laundering and currency manipulation allegations.
The court ruled today (Friday) that Gambaryan’s health
condition did not justify his release. Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High
Court in Abuja noted that illness alone does not warrant bail unless it poses a
threat to others.
Binance Executive’s Health Concerns
Gambaryan, who is the head of financial-crime compliance at
Binance, has been in custody since February. His lawyer, Mark Mordi, argued
that Gambaryan needs medical treatment for a herniated disk that has severely
affected his mobility. Gambaryan appeared in court in a wheelchair.
“We are deeply disappointed by the court’s decision to deny Gambaryan
bail, particularly given his deteriorating health. He has been unlawfully
detained for over 220 days,” a Binance spokesperson commented.
“Gambaryan did not go to Nigeria as a decision-maker and
there is no good reason to continue to hold him,” the spokesperson continued. “We are committed to working
with the Nigerian government to resolve issues, but Gambaryan must be allowed
to go home.”
Following the ruling, Gambaryan’s wife, Yuki Gambaryan,
expressed her disappointment, stating it was unjust for her husband to be
denied necessary medical care. The legal conflict began in February when
Nigerian authorities detained Gambaryan and a colleague during a visit to the
country. The colleague escaped detention.
BREAKING: Nigerian Court rejects ‘sick’ Binance executive Gambaryan’s second bail application – https://t.co/nKxzDjFOfI pic.twitter.com/qptkQgOFQe
— Nairametrics (@Nairametrics) October 11, 2024
Gambaryan has been held at the Kuje correctional center in
Abuja since April. In response to the situation, Binance has used social media
to call for his release. CEO Richard Teng claimed that Nigerian authorities
demanded a “secret” payment to resolve their issues. Nigerian
officials have denied these allegations, labeling them a diversion from
Binance’s activities.
Investors Allege Money Laundering
In August, Binance
and its former CEO, Changpeng Zhao, faced a class action lawsuit from three
cryptocurrency investors who allege the exchange failed to prevent money
laundering, as reported by Finance Magnates.
Filed in the US District Court for the Western District of
Washington, the lawsuit claims that stolen cryptocurrencies were deposited on
Binance to obscure their origin, violating the RICO Act. The plaintiffs assert
that Binance’s platform facilitated the laundering process, making stolen
assets untraceable.
This article was written by Tareq Sikder at www.financemagnates.com.
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