Tigran Gambaryan, the head of financial crime at Binance, has accused three Nigerian lawmakers of demanding a $150 million bribe to prevent his arrest and prosecution.
Mr. Gambaryan, who was detained in Nigeria for several months alongside another Binance official, made the allegations in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday. He identified the lawmakers as Peter Akpanke, Philip Agbese, and Ginger Obinna Onwusibe.
Mr. Onwusibe is the chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Anti-Corruption, while Mr. Agbese serves as the deputy spokesperson of the House.
The Binance executive claimed that during his detention, the lawmakers staged a meeting with fake cameras and media to make it appear official. He alleged that they ultimately requested the bribe in cryptocurrency, to be deposited into their personal wallets.
“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,” Mr. Gambaryan stated. “They alluded to the fact that we had to comply with whatever the House members instructed us to do.”
“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,” he added.
Efforts to obtain reactions from the lawmakers are ongoing. However, the House of Representatives has previously denied allegations of bribery involving Binance officials.
Mr. Gambaryan was released after the Nigerian government dropped charges against him, following intervention by the U.S. government.
