1 week ago
28
Tigran Gambaryan, the head of financial crime of crypto firm Binance, who was detained in Nigeria for several months, has named three Nigerian lawmakers who allegedly demanded a $150 million bribe from him.
PREMIUM TIMES reported that Mr Gambaryan and another Binance official were detained by the Nigerian government which accused their firm of money laundering and encouraging criminality in Nigeria. He was only released after the government dropped the charges against him following the intervention of the US government.
The Binance chief, during his detention, mentioned that some lawmakers demanded bribes from him to stave off his arrest and prosecution.
On Friday, he named the suspects in a post on X (formerly Twitter). He named the suspects as Peter Akpanke, Philip Agbese and Ginger Obinna Onwusibe.
Paradoxically, Mr Onwusibe heads the House of Representatives Committee on anti-corruption. Mr Agbese is the deputy spokesperson of the House.
Efforts are ongoing to get the accused persons to speak but the House has in the past denied demanding bribes from the Binance chief.
In his post, Mr Gambaryan provided details of the bribe demand, including the date it occurred and the conditions under which it was demanded.
“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.
Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it.
Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you.
Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation.
Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories —no paywalls, just quality journalism.
“At the House meeting, there were three members present. Two of them were Peter Akpanke and Philip Agbese, both working under the leadership of Ginger Obinna Onwusibe. There was a third House member, but I don’t recall his name. 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.”
Details later…
Support PREMIUM TIMES' journalism of integrity and credibility
At Premium Times, we firmly believe in the importance of high-quality journalism. Recognizing that not everyone can afford costly news subscriptions, we are dedicated to delivering meticulously researched, fact-checked news that remains freely accessible to all.
Whether you turn to Premium Times for daily updates, in-depth investigations into pressing national issues, or entertaining trending stories, we value your readership.
It’s essential to acknowledge that news production incurs expenses, and we take pride in never placing our stories behind a prohibitive paywall.
Would you consider supporting us with a modest contribution on a monthly basis to help maintain our commitment to free, accessible news?
TEXT AD: Call Willie - +2348098788999
English (US) ·