Update 11:30 am UTC: Binance provides quotes for this article.
According to sources familiar with the matter, a Binance executive detained by Nigerian authorities has managed to escape detention using a counterfeit passport, as reported by a local publication.
Meanwhile, there are reports that the Nigerian government has initiated criminal proceedings against the exchange on charges of tax evasion. These charges were filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday, according to local media.
Nadeem Anjarwalla, a Binance executive, and his colleague Tigran Gambaryan have been held in a guest house in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, for several weeks. However, Anjarwalla was able to escape detention on Friday, March 22, after being taken to a nearby mosque for prayers.
Anjarwalla allegedly left Abuja on a Middle Eastern airline, although it remains unclear how he managed to board the international flight since his British passport, which he used to enter Nigeria, is still in the possession of Nigerian authorities.
According to an immigration official, the Binance executive fled Nigeria using a Kenyan passport, and authorities are now investigating how Anjarwalla obtained this passport since he did not have any other travel documents while in custody.
Reports suggest that the detained individuals were granted certain privileges during their detention, including access to cell phones.
Anjarwalla, the regional manager for Binance in Africa, and Gambaryan, a US citizen who heads Binance’s criminal investigations team, were apprehended upon their arrival in Nigeria on February 26.
The magistrate court in Abuja ordered their detention after receiving a criminal complaint against them. The court also authorized the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to hold the two individuals for 14 days, and required Binance to provide the Nigerian government with access to data and information about Nigerian traders on its platform.
However, when Binance refused to comply with the court’s decision, the detention of the officials was extended by another 14 days to prevent evidence tampering.
The Nigerian government has been taking strong measures against individuals and organizations involved in terrorist financing and money laundering associated with the Binance cryptocurrency exchange.
Government reports indicate that the Binance exchange has been used to launder approximately $21 billion.
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