Executive detained in Nigeria resigns from Binance
Tigran Gambaryan, former head of investigations at Binance, announced his departure from the exchange this Thursday (6), after four years of service.
In an emotional statement posted on social media, he thanked founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ) and highlighted the company's achievements in compliance and combating financial crime.
During his tenure, Gambaryan led the creation of a global team of over 150 professionals and responded to more than 57,000 police requests, contributing to investigations that resulted in arrests, legal proceedings, and seizures of assets linked to terrorism and other illicit activities.
Among the notable actions are the tracking of wallets linked to ISIS, the dismantling of a $270 million scheme in Thailand, and training sessions held with anti-corruption authorities in Nigeria.
According to the executive, these efforts helped recover more than $400,000 in illegal funds in that country.
Gambaryan was detained in Nigeria for eight months in 2024, accused of money laundering and tax evasion—charges that were dropped by the Nigerian judiciary in October of the same year, after intense international pressure.
Despite his release, Binance's situation in the country remains critical: the Nigerian judiciary is demanding $81 billion in damages from the exchange for alleged harm to the country, including accusations of collaboration with terrorist groups, kidnappers, and currency manipulation that allegedly contributed to a 90% devaluation of the Naira.
In his farewell, Gambaryan stated that he will continue to work in the cryptocurrency sector, seeking to contribute to the integration of technology, regulation, and security—whether in the public or private sector.
He thanked the colleagues and authorities who supported him during his imprisonment and concluded his message with the hope of reuniting with them soon on a new mission.
Source: Criptofacil