Highlights
Nigeria’s Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) on Friday dismissed charges against Binance executives Tigran Gambaryan and Nadeem Anjarwalla. However, the income tax agency has not dropped tax evasion charge against Binance, leaving the crypto exchange as the sole defendant in the tax evasion case.
The Federal Inland Revenue Service of Nigeria decided to drop charges against Binance executives Tigran Gambaryan and Nadeem Anjarwalla, according to a spokesperson. Both Binance executives are still detained in Nigeria for further action by the court.
“We are relieved that the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) have served and filed amended charges today, resulting in tax charges against Tigran Gambaryan being dropped, further illustrating that Tigran is not a decision-maker at Binance and does not need to be held in order for Binance to resolve issues with the Nigerian government. We await the court’s ruling on this, discharging Tigran from this matter completely.”
Binance executives including head of crime compliance Tigran Gambaryan are free after FIRS agreed to revise the charges. They are no longer required to appear in court for the tax evasion case. Binance will continue to fight regarding tax evasion charges brought by Nigeria’s FIRS.
However, Tigran Gambaryan and Nadeem Anjarwalla will continue to face money laundering charges, with the trial hearing scheduled after Gambaryan’s bail was denied. He is still detained at Kuje prison, where he suffered from Malaria. US lawmakers pushed President Joe Biden to secure his release claiming that Nigeria has taken a Binance executive hostage.
“In order for Tigran to be allowed to go home to his family, we are hopeful that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will take similar steps,” the Binance spokesperson said.
The next hearing in the money laundering trial is scheduled for June 19.
Also Read: Why This Is The Right Time To Buy Bitcoin and Gold – Bloomberg
The detention of Binance executives is one of the controversial event in the history of the crypto industry. Binance’s efforts to release Tigran Gambaryan and Nadeem Anjarwalla failed as the Nigerian government denied the requests.
Tigran Gambaryan’s wife Yuki Gambaryan blamed the US government for delayed action as her husband, a Binance executive, remains detained in Nigeria on disputed charges.
After the U.S. intervention, Nigerian government officials reaffirmed that the trial would be conducted in faithful allegiance to the law.
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