Binance Executive Alleges Nigerian Government's Wrongdoing Led to Cancelled US Meeting

Tigran Gambaryan, Binance's head of financial crime, has made some shocking allegations regarding his unlawful arrest by the Nigerian government.

According to Gambaryan, his arrest led to former US President Joe Biden refusing to meet with President Bola Tinubu during the 2024 UN General Assembly (UNGA).

Gambaryan claims that National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu's actions were responsible for the diplomatic fallout.

He alleges that Ribadu "acted like an asshole" and angered the White House, resulting in the US limiting visas to the Nigerian delegation for UNGA and Biden refusing to meet with Tinubu until Gambaryan's situation was resolved.

The Nigerian government had detained Gambaryan and another Binance official, Nadeem Anjarwalla, on allegations of money laundering and tax evasion. While Anjarwalla escaped custody in March, Gambaryan was detained until October 2024, when Nigeria dropped the charges against him following US government intervention.

Gambaryan also alleges that Ribadu sought to profit from the controversy, emphasizing that he wanted "billions in payouts to fund his future political ambition." 

Additionally, Gambaryan accuses the Nigerian government of demanding citizens' data from cryptocurrency companies to target opposition political parties.

These allegations have sparked a heated debate, with some criticizing Ribadu's actions and others questioning Gambaryan's motives.

The Nigerian presidency had initially announced that Biden would meet with Tinubu during UNGA, but the meeting never took place, leading to speculation about the reasons behind the cancellation.