Mr. Anjarwalla, one of the Binance executives detained in Nigeria for alleged tax evasion and other offenses, has reportedly escaped from lawful custody, according to sources familiar with the matter as reported by PREMIUM TIMES.
Escaping a day after the Nigerian government levied a four-count criminal charge against him, Tigran Gambaryan, and Binance, Nadeem Anjarwalla, aged 38, managed to flee on Friday, March 22nd, from the Abuja guest house where he and his colleague were detained. Sources indicate that guards on duty escorted him to a nearby mosque for prayers during the ongoing Ramadan fast, providing an opportunity for his escape.
The British national, who also holds Kenyan citizenship, is believed to have departed Abuja via a Middle Eastern airline. Questions arise regarding how Mr. Anjarwalla managed to board an international flight while his British passport, with which he entered Nigeria, remains in the custody of Nigerian authorities.
Authorities are actively working to ascertain Mr. Anjarwalla’s intended destination in efforts to apprehend him and return him to custody. Reports suggest he fled Nigeria using a Kenyan passport, prompting investigations into how he obtained this document while in custody with only his British passport.
The escape follows the detention of Mr. Anjarwalla and Tigran Gambaryan, initiated upon their arrival in Nigeria on February 26, 2024. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) obtained an order from a Magistrate Court in Abuja to remand the duo for 14 days. Subsequently, Binance was instructed to provide data of Nigerian traders on its platform, which it allegedly refused to comply with, leading to an extension of the remand and adjournment of the case.
On March 22nd, the Nigerian government filed another four-count charge against Binance Holdings Limited, Mr. Anjarwalla, and Mr. Gambaryan, accusing them of various offenses related to tax evasion and non-compliance with regulatory requirements.
This development comes amid Nigeria’s crackdown on suspected money launderers and terrorism financiers allegedly utilizing the Binance platform for illicit activities, highlighting broader regulatory concerns surrounding cryptocurrency exchanges.
The detention and subsequent escape occurred in the wake of Binance’s settlement of criminal money laundering charges in the United States, further complicating the legal and regulatory challenges faced by the cryptocurrency exchange platform.
Source: Platform Times
