Binance’s head of financial crime, Tigran Gambaryan has accused three Nigerian lawmakers of soliciting a $150 million bribe during his detention in Nigeria. Gambaryan, who was held by the Nigerian government on charges of money laundering and facilitating criminal activities, made these claims in a post on X (formerly Twitter) following his release.
The lawmakers implicated in this allegation are Peter Akpanke, Philip Agbese, and Ginger Obinna Onwusibe. Onwusibe currently chairs the House of Representatives Committee on Anti-Corruption, while Agbese serves as the deputy spokesperson for the House.
Despite previous denials from the House of Representatives regarding any bribery demands, Gambaryan has now provided specific details about the alleged request, including the date and circumstances surrounding it.
According to his statement, the meeting occurred on January 5, 2024, at the Department of State Services (DSS) office. He claimed DSS officials indicated that Binance needed to adhere to the lawmakers’ demands before any further discussions could take place.
During a subsequent encounter with the House members, Gambaryan alleged that fake cameras were installed to simulate an official proceeding, although they were non-functional. He further asserted that the lawmakers eventually requested the bribe in cryptocurrency to be deposited into their personal wallets.
Efforts are underway to obtain responses from the accused lawmakers, while the Nigerian House of Representatives has previously dismissed the bribery claims in this case.
This is a very serious and grievous allegation and a big dent on the integrity of Nigeria and the the office and institution of the House of Representatives. EFCC, and all relevant agencies, including the leadership of the National Assembly should institute an independent panel of enquiry to look into this allegation and submit the report to Nigerians. The man didn’t come out of the blues to mention these names, neither does he have any problems with these 3 members. Nigerians are patiently waiting to see how this will be handled
What is his problem if he didn’t pay the money? The house members only attempted crime but never committed it.