The Department of State in the United States has acknowledged reports concerning the detention of one of its citizens in Abuja, Nigeria.
Tigran Gambaryan, an executive at Binance, was arrested last month alongside his colleague, Nadeem Anjarwalla, who holds British and Kenyan passports, as part of a tax evasion investigation involving the cryptocurrency platform.
A spokesperson for the American Embassy in Nigeria stated that they are working to provide appropriate assistance when a US citizen is detained overseas.
However, the embassy refrained from offering further comments on the detention due to privacy concerns.
While Mr. Anjarwalla is no longer in Nigerian custody, authorities confirmed his escape using a smuggled passport.
A source close to his family disclosed that he left Nigeria through lawful means.
Nigerian authorities have announced collaboration with Interpol to issue an international warrant for Mr. Anjarwalla’s arrest.
On Monday, tax evasion charges were formally filed against Binance at the High Court in Abuja, with Mr. Anjarwalla named among the respondents.
The Federal Inland Revenue Service accuses the cryptocurrency platform of various offenses, including non-payment of value-added tax, company income tax, failure to file tax returns, and complicity in aiding customers in evading taxes through its platform.
