Lawmakers Allegedly Demand $150M Bribe from Binance

Binance Executive Accuses Nigerian Lawmakers of Corruption

Tigran Gambaryan, Binance’s Head of Financial Crime Compliance, has accused three Nigerian lawmakers—Peter Akpanke, Philip Agbese, and Ginger Obinna Onwusibe—of demanding a $150 million bribe during a dispute between the cryptocurrency exchange and the Nigerian government. Gambaryan made these allegations in a recent post on X (formerly Twitter).

In response, the accused lawmakers have denied the allegations. Philip Agbese stated, “These allegations are false. I was not part of any meeting with any Binance executive regarding money for any purpose.” He further emphasized that the leadership of the committee had taken legal action against Binance and that the company had previously issued an apology.

This development follows Gambaryan’s detention in Nigeria in early 2024 on charges of money laundering and currency manipulation. He was released in October 2024 after the Nigerian government dropped the charges, citing international and diplomatic reasons.