Tigran Gambaryan, a former U.S. federal agent and Binance executive, has accused three Nigerian lawmakers of demanding a $150 million bribe in cryptocurrency during his detention in Nigeria.
Gambaryan, who was arrested in February 2024 on allegations of money laundering and tax evasion, made the shocking revelations in a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) on February 14, 2025.
He specifically named Peter Akpanke and Philip Agbese, alleging they were acting under the leadership of Ginger Obinna Onwusibe. He further mentioned that a third unidentified lawmaker was also involved in the scheme.
The Bribery Allegation: A Staged Meeting and Fake Cameras
According to Gambaryan, the demand for the bribe was made during a staged meeting arranged by members of the House of Representatives.
“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,” he revealed.
Gambaryan claimed that when he and his Binance team met with the lawmakers, the setting was artificially orchestrated to appear official, with fake cameras and media crews that were not even plugged in.
“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 $150 million bribe, paid in cryptocurrency into their personal wallets. A Mickey Mouse operation at its best,” he wrote.
Binance CEO’s Earlier Accusation Against Nigerian Authorities
Gambaryan’s revelations corroborate the accusations made by Binance CEO Richard Teng in May 2024. Teng had publicly accused Nigerian officials of demanding a $150 million bribe to drop the money laundering and tax evasion charges against Binance. The Nigerian government strongly denied the allegations, calling them a diversionary tactic to deflect from the criminal case against the company.
The spokesman for the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Zakari Mijinyawa, responded to the bribery claims by stating:
“We are confident that Nigeria has a good case. Binance equally will have every opportunity under the rule of law to make its case and see justice delivered.”
The $26 Billion “Outflow” Misrepresentation
Another major allegation raised by Gambaryan was the fabrication of a false financial crisis narrative against Binance. He explained how Nigerian authorities allegedly misrepresented $26 billion in trading volume as an outflow of funds from Nigeria.
“The $26 billion figure they kept pushing publicly as some mystery money escaping Nigeria is complete BS. This information was provided in response to their request and was simply cumulative trade data for Nigerians on the platform. This money didn’t leave Nigeria—it was just people buying and selling crypto. If you trade $100 a hundred times, that’s $10,000 in trade volume, but in reality, you only used $100. Again, just another example of them lying to cover up their BS investigation.”
Illegal Detention, Fabricated Evidence, and International Privacy Violations
Gambaryan also detailed how Nigerian security agencies, including the DSS, allegedly manipulated the Binance investigation to justify their actions.
- He claimed that authorities falsely accused Binance executives of fleeing and attempted to fabricate evidence against them.
- He alleged that Nigeria’s NSA, Nuhu Ribadu, sought billions in payouts to fund his political ambitions.
- He revealed that law enforcement attempted to use Binance to violate international privacy laws by demanding user data to target political opposition figures accused of “manipulating the naira.”
Background: Binance Executives’ Detention in Nigeria
In early 2024, Gambaryan and his colleague Nadeem Anjarwalla traveled to Nigeria to address regulatory concerns between Binance and the Nigerian government. Instead of diplomatic discussions, they were arrested on allegations of money laundering and tax evasion.
- Gambaryan was held in Kuje Prison for eight months under severe conditions, including serious health issues.
- Nadeem Anjarwalla later escaped from custody in a controversial incident, leading to calls for his extradition.
- The U.S. government intervened, leading to Gambaryan’s release in October 2024.
Fallout and Implications
Gambaryan’s accusations have intensified scrutiny on Nigeria’s handling of Binance executives and the alleged corruption within its political and security institutions. While the Nigerian government denies the bribery allegations, these revelations could have diplomatic and legal repercussions as the case unfolds.
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