By Camillus Eboh
ABUJA (Reuters) – Nigerian authorities on Wednesday denied allegations from Binance’s CEO of soliciting bribes, saying the declare was a “diversionary tactic” and an “act of blackmail” geared toward undermining ongoing legal fees in opposition to the corporate.
Binance, the world’s largest crypto change, and two of its executives face separate trials on fees of tax evasion and laundering greater than $35 million, which the corporate is difficult.
Tigran Gambaryan, a U.S. citizen and Binance’s head of monetary crime compliance, stays in custody whereas British-Kenyan Nadeem Anjarwalla has fled the nation.
CEO Richard Teng in a weblog submit accused unidentified Nigerian officers of demanding a $150 million cryptocurrency bribe to halt the investigations.
In an announcement on Wednesday, Nigeria’s Info Ministry spokesperson Rabiu Ibrahim mentioned the claims “lack any iota of substance”. He accused Binance of making an attempt to undermine the nation’s authorized proceedings.
“It’s nothing however a diversionary tactic and an tried act of blackmail by an organization determined to obfuscate the grievous legal fees it’s dealing with in Nigeria,” Ibrahim mentioned.
“The information of this matter stay that Binance is being investigated in Nigeria for permitting its platform for use for cash laundering, terrorism financing, and international change manipulation via unlawful buying and selling,” he mentioned.
Nigerian authorities declare the bribery allegations are a part of a wider marketing campaign by Binance to discredit investigations in opposition to the corporate, citing comparable authorized troubles in america.
Binance didn’t instantly remark, however in an announcement on Tuesday accused Nigeria of setting a harmful precedent after its executives had been invited for talks after which detained as a part of a crackdown on the crypto business.
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Teng’s weblog is the newest in a dispute that has already seen Binance shut in Nigeria.
Nigeria blamed Binance for its forex issues after cryptocurrency web sites emerged as platforms of alternative for buying and selling the Nigerian naira because the nation grappled with continual greenback shortages.
Binance mentioned in early March it was stopping all transactions and buying and selling in naira.
