A regional manager for cryptocurrency giant Binance, Nadeem Anjarwalla, has reportedly escaped custody in Nigeria. Anjarwalla, a British-Kenyan national, was detained alongside colleague Tigran Gambaryan in February during a Nigerian investigation into Binance’s operations.
Nigerian authorities said Anjarwalla fled using a “smuggled passport,” though his family disputes this. Interpol is now involved in securing an arrest warrant. Binance has remained silent on the accusations against it, but stated it’s working with authorities “to swiftly address this matter.”
Anjarwalla and Gambaryan were detained on February 26th after government meetings in Abuja. Authorities reportedly sought information on Nigerian Binance users.
Initially granted a 14-day detention, their extended custody was deemed unlawful. A court appearance was scheduled for early April. The Nigerian National Security Advisor’s office has apprehended those responsible for Anjarwalla’s escape, which is under investigation.
Reports suggest Anjarwalla requested permission for a Friday mosque visit but never returned. His British passport was confiscated, but the Kenyan passport’s whereabouts are unknown. On the other hand, Gambaryan remains in custody.
Nigerian authorities have also filed tax evasion charges against Binance, naming Anjarwalla as a respondent. The charges include non-payment of various taxes and aiding customer tax evasion.
Last month, Nigeria intensified scrutiny on cryptocurrency firms, accusing them of money laundering, terrorism financing, and manipulating exchange rates. Binance was fined $10 billion. However, Binance has not commented on these charges.
