NEO (neo) 
Nigeria has dropped the tax charges against two Binance executives, Tigran Gambaryan and Nadeem Anjarwalla, but Gambaryan remains in custody despite health concerns.
The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) of Nigeria has revised its charges, now solely targeting Binance through its local representative. A family spokesperson confirmed this in an emailed statement on Friday.
“The FIRS agreed to revise their charges to serve solely on Binance, through its local representative. Tigran will no longer need to appear in court for the FIRS case. This means that Binance is the sole defendant in this case,” the statement read. “This goes to show that both Tigran and Nadeem are not decision-makers at Binance, and should never have been detained and charged.”
This adjustment effectively drops all tax charges against Gambaryan and Anjarwalla, naming Binance as the sole defendant.
However, both executives are still named in a money-laundering case brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency. Despite health issues, Gambaryan remains in prison.
Gambaryan’s Health Issues
Gambaryan, Binance’s head of financial crimes and compliance, is reportedly experiencing deteriorating health. He was suspected of having malaria after collapsing in court on May 23. A court order was issued for his transfer to a hospital for better medical care, but he remains in custody.
A group of former U.S. federal prosecutors and agents has called on the U.S. Department of State to assist in Gambaryan’s release. In a letter dated June 6, these former officials expressed disappointment in the current efforts of the U.S. government, describing them as insufficient.
Background
Binance executives Tigran Gambaryan and Nadeem Anjarwalla were arrested in February and charged with criminal violations by the Nigerian government. Gambaryan is awaiting trial, while Anjarwalla escaped custody and was extradited from Kenya to Nigeria.
The two arrived in Nigeria to discuss regulatory issues on behalf of Binance and the government’s recent crackdown on cryptocurrency trading platforms. They were arrested and held in a government facility without their passports following the negotiations.
Binance has been trying to persuade Nigerian authorities that Gambaryan lacks decision-making authority within the company. Citing his health, they argue that he should not be required to appear in court for any charges and should be released.
Initially, Gambaryan and Anjarwalla faced four counts of tax evasion, including failing to register with Nigeria’s Federal Inland Revenue Service.
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