The Federal Government of Nigeria has dismissed bribery allegations made by Tigran Gambaryan, an American employee of Binance who was recently tried in the country for financial crimes.
Gambaryan, in a social media post, accused some Nigerian government officials and federal lawmakers of demanding a bribe from him.
Responding to the claim in a statement on Friday, February 14, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said the government was reluctant to engage with Gambaryan, especially since high-level diplomatic efforts had already resolved his case. However, he emphasized the need to clarify the facts and prevent misinformation.
Idris stated that Gambaryan’s first visit to Nigeria was voluntary and not arranged by the government. He added that when officials were informed of an alleged bribery demand during that trip, an investigation was launched, even though no formal complaint was filed.
Regarding Gambaryan’s second visit, Idris explained that it was linked to a broader investigation into the manipulation of Nigeria’s currency through peer-to-peer platforms like Binance. However, he claimed that Gambaryan and his team used tactics that obstructed the investigation.
He further disclosed that Gambaryan was released by the Nigerian government in October 2024 on humanitarian grounds following diplomatic negotiations that resulted in significant benefits for Nigeria. He also revealed that the government rejected Binance’s offer of a $5 million down payment for Gambaryan’s release, opting instead for a more favorable settlement with the U.S. government.
Dismissing Gambaryan’s allegations as false and an attempt to discredit those who ensured justice was served, the government urged the public to ignore his claims.
“The Nigerian and American judicial systems will provide Gambaryan with a fair opportunity to substantiate his claims in court,” the statement read.
Idris advised the public to be cautious and not be swayed by what he described as malicious and baseless accusations.
