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- Interpol has completed extradition paperwork for Binance executive Nadeem Anjarwalla, who fled Nigeria after being charged with money laundering and tax evasion and was last seen in Kenya.
- Anjarwalla’s colleague, Tigran Gambaryan, has pleaded not guilty to similar charges and remains in custody in Nigeria, with a bail hearing scheduled.
- Binance has withdrawn from the Nigerian market, ceasing all transactions in Nigerian naira and removing naira trading pairs from its platform after allegations of facilitating illicit transactions.
The Nigerian Central Bureau of Interpol has finalized the extradition papers of Nadeem Anjarwalla, a Binance Holdings official currently having legal problems. Anjarwalla left Nigeria after being accused of money laundering and tax evasion and is now believed to be in Kenya. Garba Umar, head of the Nigerian NCB, also pointed out that attempts are already being made to serve a Red Notice to bring Anjarwalla back to Nigeria for trial.
In an appearance on the local “Sunrise Daily” on April 30, Umar divulged that Anjarwalla’s precise location is not known, but his last known location was Kenya. Interpol is coordinating with various countries Anjarwalla may have traveled through to gather essential information, which remains confidential.
Incident Details and Binance Exiting Nigeria
Despite Nigerian officials confiscating Anjarwalla’s travel documents, he left Nigeria on March 22, raising questions about the control of his departure. At the same time, Tigran Gambaryan, Anjarwalla’s colleague, was arrested on similar charges. He pleaded not guilty and is detained for his bail hearing scheduled for May 17. Gambaryan’s case led to a petition for his release, which has gained over 4,000 signatures.
Subsequent to this, Binance declared its withdrawal from the Nigerian market after the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria accused Binance of involvement in illegal transactions. In consequence, Binance stopped all transactions in the Nigerian naira and delisted all naira trading pairs from its peer-to-peer trading platform in late February. This move signals a major withdrawal from one of Africa’s biggest cryptocurrency markets.
Litigations and Regulatory Measures
The charges against Anjarwalla have triggered a united international effort to arrest and repatriate him to Nigeria. The ongoing case is an indication of Interpol’s growing role in solving transnational financial crimes. This event is a component of overall enforcement measures aimed at compliance and regulatory adherence in the sphere of cryptocurrency.
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Disclaimer. The information provided is not trading advice. Cryptopolitan.com holds no liability for any investments made based on the information provided on this page. We strongly recommend independent research and/or consultation with a qualified professional before making any investment decisions.
Damilola Lawrence
Damilola Lawrence has covered news on crypto markets and tech for over 5 years. He has previously shared crypto insights and analysis for TheShibMagazine, CryptoMode, Qweens Magazine, and The Recording Academy before pivoting into Web3. At Cryptopolitan, he is a crypto price prediction specialist. After finishing a bachelor’s degree, he has segued into a master’s degree in IT Cybersecurity at Maria Curie-Skłodowska University.
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