Binance exec Tigran Gambaryan transferred to an underground jail cell as Nigerian crisis escalates

The situation of Tigran Gambaryan in Nigeria has deteriorated significantly.

The senior executive from Binance finds himself imprisoned in a facility managed by Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency. This development comes after a period of five weeks of confinement in a government guest house. Gambaryan’s colleague, Nadeem Anjarwalla, managed to escape custody and leave Nigeria on March 22, prompting authorities to transfer Gambaryan to prevent a similar escape.

Charged alongside Binance with allegations of money laundering and tax violations, Gambaryan appeared in court looking visibly weary and disheartened. Due to procedural errors, his arraignment has been postponed until April 19. Meanwhile, he will be detained in the basement cells of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital. These cells, designed for four people, provide minimal comfort, with many lacking basic amenities such as sheets. Gambaryan, however, has been provided with fresh sheets and a designated shower stall.

In contrast to his previous accommodations in the guest house, where he enjoyed certain comforts like freshly made smoothies and access to his phone under guard, Gambaryan now faces a more austere environment.

Throughout this ordeal, Gambaryan has been caught in the crossfire between Binance, the world’s leading crypto exchange, and Nigerian authorities. As the head of Binance’s financial crime compliance unit, Gambaryan holds no decision-making authority over the exchange’s global operations.

Binance has remained silent on the recent developments in Gambaryan’s case, declining to comment despite repeated requests for information. Gambaryan, identified by Binance as an employee rather than by his formal senior executive title, surrendered his US passport weeks ago when he and Anjarwalla were detained upon their arrival in Nigeria.

Anjarwalla’s escape has amplified tensions, with Gambaryan now subject to heightened scrutiny. The Nigerian government’s decision to transfer him is seen as a deliberate escalation intended to elicit a response from Binance. If the case proceeds to trial, Gambaryan may be relocated to a federal detention center.