A Binance executive, Nadeem Anjarwalla, reportedly managed to escape from detention in Nigeria using a counterfeit passport, a situation revealed by local sources.
This development is part of a broader controversy involving the cryptocurrency exchange, as the Nigerian government has initiated criminal charges against Binance for alleged tax evasion, with legal proceedings starting at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Anjarwalla, alongside Tigran Gambaryan, was held in Abuja, detained in a guest house for an extended period.
The escape occurred after Anjarwalla was allowed to leave for prayers, subsequently boarding a flight from Abuja with a Kenyan passport, despite his original British passport being held by Nigerian authorities.
Questions have arisen on how he managed to acquire this Kenyan passport and board an international flight without his primary travel documents.
The detention of these Binance executives, Anjarwalla serving as the regional manager for Africa and Gambaryan leading the criminal investigations team, began on February 26 following a magistrate court’s decision.
The court’s actions were based on a criminal complaint, granting the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) permission to detain them for 14 days, a period which was later extended due to non-compliance by Binance with a court order to provide data on Nigerian traders.
The Binance spokesperson stated, “We were made aware that Nadeem is no longer in Nigerian custody.
Our primary focus remains on the safety of our employees and we are working collaboratively with Nigerian authorities to quickly resolve this issue.”
This statement highlights the organization’s concern and ongoing cooperation with local authorities regarding the situation.
The case has shed light on the Nigerian government’s strict stance against financial crimes, especially those involving terrorist financing and money laundering.
Reports suggest Binance’s platform has been implicated in laundering nearly $21 billion, prompting stringent measures against the exchange and individuals associated with it.
This incident not only underscores the complexities of regulating cryptocurrency exchanges but also the challenges in maintaining the integrity of financial transactions on a global scale.
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