Share this article
Binance's Gambaryan Free to Leave Nigeria for Medical Treatment After Money Laundering Charges Dropped: Reports
Reuters reported that the government did so to allow Gambaryan to seek medical treatment abroad.
Updated Oct 23, 2024, 7:18 p.m. Published Oct 23, 2024, 11:56 a.m.
- A local news outlet reported the money laundering charges against Tigran Gambaryan have been dropped by the government.
- The charges were dropped to allow him to seek medical treatment abroad, another report said.
- The government's charges against Binance itself remain.
Nigeria's government has withdrawn the money laundering charges against Binance executive Tigran Gambaryan days after a court denied him bail, local news outlet Punch reported first on Wednesday.
"People are on the way to give the order" to the Kuje prison and then he should be released "immediately," Gambaryan's lawyer Mark Mordi told CoinDesk on the phone. He did not share any other details about when Gambaryan is expected to leave the country.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Reuters reported that the government did so to allow Gambaryan to seek medical treatment abroad, citing the "government's lawyer" who also said the Nigeria would continue the money laundering case against Binance without Gambaryan.
Binance is facing a tax-evasion trial with Nigeria demanding $10 billion in penalties for enabling some $26 billion of untraceable funds which purportedly led to the Nigerian naira weakening to record lows against the dollar.
Gambaryan, Binance's head of financial crime compliance, has been detained in Nigeria since February, when he came to the nation at the invitation of the government to discuss issues related to the company. He had come with Nadeem Anjarwalla, Binance's regional manager for Africa, who escaped detention in March.
During his time in prison Gambaryan, a U.S. citizen, developed malaria, pneumonia and tonsillitis.But he was also suffering from complications tied to a herniated disc in his back which left him in need of a wheelchair – though in a video from his last court appearance, Gambaryan did not have a wheelchair and instead had to struggle on a single crutch, CoinDesk reported earlier.
Pressure had been mounting on the Nigerian authorities given Gambaryan's ill-health. Gambaryan's wife, Yuki Gambaryan illustrated the family's ordeal through a recent podcast and a video, besides other frequent efforts to bring attention to the case.
During one of the earlier hearings, Mordi, told the court that former Internal Revenue Service agent needed surgery since July 18. Binance CEO Richard Teng and members of the U.S. Congress had urged Nigeria and U.S. authorities to help bring him back to the U.S.
The Gambaryan family, Binance and Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission did not immediately respond to a CoinDesk request for comment.
Read More: 'Is Daddy on the Airplane?' Jailed Binance Exec Gambaryan Family’s Ordeal in New Podcast
UPDATE (Oct. 23, 12:23 UTC): Adds context and details throughout.
UPDATE (Oct. 23, 12:59 UTC): Adds quote from Gambaryan lawyer.
More For You
KuCoin captured a record share of centralised exchange volume in 2025, with more than $1.25tn traded as its volumes grew faster than the wider crypto market.
What to know:
- KuCoin recorded over $1.25 trillion in total trading volume in 2025, equivalent to an average of roughly $114 billion per month, marking its strongest year on record.
- This performance translated into an all-time high share of centralised exchange volume, as KuCoin’s activity expanded faster than aggregate CEX volumes, which slowed during periods of lower market volatility.
- Spot and derivatives volumes were evenly split, each exceeding $500 billion for the year, signalling broad-based usage rather than reliance on a single product line.
- Altcoins accounted for the majority of trading activity, reinforcing KuCoin’s role as a primary liquidity venue beyond BTC and ETH at a time when majors saw more muted turnover.
- Even as overall crypto volumes softened mid-year, KuCoin maintained elevated baseline activity, indicating structurally higher user engagement rather than short-lived volume spikes.
More For You
Coinbase drops peso-based services in Argentina less than a year after market entry
The move is deemed a "deliberate pause" and not a full exit, with Coinbase planning to reassess and return with a stronger product.
What to know:
- Coinbase is suspending its fiat on- and off-ramp services in Argentina, effective January 31, 2026. Users will no longer be able to withdraw pesos to local banks from then on.
- The move is deemed a "deliberate pause" and not a full exit, with Coinbase planning to reassess and return with a stronger product.
- Crypto-to-crypto trading will remain unaffected on the exchange, with cryptoasset withdrawals operational.
Top Stories
