Godsent Ogbebor
FG Dismisses Binance Executive Tigran Gambaryan’s Allegations as False, Defamatory
The Federal Government of Nigeria (FG) has dismissed allegations made by Tigran Gambaryan, a senior executive at cryptocurrency exchange Binance, describing his claims against Nigerian officials as false, misleading, and defamatory.
In a statement released on Friday, February 14, 2025, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, urged the public to disregard Gambaryan’s accusations, stating that his assertions were unfounded and aimed at intimidating officials who ensured his prosecution.
Gambaryan, an American national and compliance officer at Binance, was in Nigeria as part of a criminal probe into alleged financial crimes involving cryptocurrency transactions and currency manipulation.
The government revealed that his first visit to Nigeria was made at his own discretion, with no official invitation from Nigerian authorities.
However, after reports emerged of a bribery attempt, the FG said it launched an investigation despite the absence of a formal complaint.
His second visit, according to the government, was related to an ongoing investigation into the criminal manipulation of the Nigerian currency through peer-to-peer (P2P) crypto platforms like Binance.
Authorities claim that their investigations were hampered by Gambaryan and his team’s lack of cooperation.
The FG clarified that Gambaryan was released in October 2024 on humanitarian grounds following diplomatic intervention from the United States.
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The government also disclosed that it rejected a $5 million offer from Binance for his release, opting instead for a more beneficial agreement with the U.S. government.
Dismissing Gambaryan’s accusations, the government insisted that his claims were part of a deliberate effort to distort facts and undermine the credibility of Nigerian authorities.
“We categorically deny the retaliatory claims made by Mr. Gambaryan against Nigerian officials involved in his case and urge the public to disregard these false accusations in their entirety,” Idris stated.
The FG expressed confidence that both the Nigerian and American judicial systems would provide Gambaryan with the necessary legal avenues to defend his claims.
Until then, the government urged the public to remain cautious and not be swayed by his misleading narrative.
The case remains a point of contention between Nigeria’s financial regulators and global cryptocurrency platforms, as authorities continue to tighten oversight on digital currency transactions in the country.