Nigerian officials have dropped some charges against detained Binance executive Tigran Gambaryan, according to a family spokesperson on June 14.
The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has dismissed tax charges against Gambaryan and fellow Binance executive Nadeem Anjarwalla.
However, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) still charges both executives with money laundering, with the case set to resume on June 20.
The Gambaryan family spokesperson denounced the charges as “bogus” and highlighted the dismissal of the tax charges as evidence that the pair should never have been charged.
Gambaryan’s health has become a central issue.
After collapsing in court on May 23 due to malaria, his health has worsened, and he now suffers from pneumonia.
His family claims prison authorities are not transparent about his condition.
“Despite a court order by Justice Emeka Nwite to take Tigran to [the] hospital immediately, it took the prison authorities 11 days to take him for a brief check-up.
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“The prison is not allowing the results of this check-up at the hospital to be released to his family, lawyers, nor the U.S. embassy as they have named a person from the prison as his next of kin.”
Binance issued a statement commending FIRS for “their diligence and professionalism.”
They reiterated that the decision to drop charges proves “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.”
The statement concluded, “We await the court’s ruling on this, discharging Tigran from this matter completely.”
Gambaryan and Anjarwalla were arrested by Nigerian authorities in February on money laundering and tax evasion charges despite Binance agreeing to leave Nigeria.
In March, Anjarwalla escaped custody, using his Kenyan passport to flee. He was later tracked and arrested in Kenya, where he faces extradition to Nigeria.
There has been significant support for Gambaryan. U.S. lawmakers recently sent a letter to the State Department and presidential envoy for hostage affairs Roger D. Carstens, highlighting Gambaryan’s “wrongful detention.”
Following this, 108 former federal prosecutors signed a letter to the State Department on June 6, echoing calls for his release.
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