Binance Executive Accuses Nuhu Ribadu, Of Corruption, Alleges To Paying $150M Bribe To House Of Reps members

Tigran Gambaryan, a former U.S. federal agent and Binance employee has accused Nigeria’s National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, of demanding billions in payouts to fund his political ambitions.

Gambaryan, who was detained in Nigeria in February 2024 and released in October 2024 after U.S. diplomatic intervention, claims Ribadu mishandled his case, leading to a major diplomatic rift.

In a statement on his X account, Gambaryan alleged that Ribadu exceeded his authority, embarrassing Nigeria before former U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. He claimed this led to U.S. visa restrictions on Nigeria’s delegation to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and that President Joe Biden refused to meet with President Tinubu until the matter was resolved.

According to Gambaryan, Ribadu hired a U.S. law firm to negotiate his release, but their incompetence and greed caused the effort to fail. He further alleged that once the corruption scandal became public, Ribadu was trapped, as any settlement would be seen as a bribe. “I guess he really wanted his boss’ job,” he remarked.

Gambaryan was arrested alongside his colleague, Nadeem Anjarwalla, during a visit to Nigeria to address regulatory concerns between Binance and the Nigerian government. While Anjarwalla escaped, Gambaryan remained in detention for eight months under harsh conditions. He was eventually released after the Nigerian government dropped money laundering charges against him, citing health reasons.

Reflecting on his experience, Gambaryan criticized the handling of his case, calling those in charge “muppets” while expressing admiration for the Nigerian people. His explosive allegations have sparked renewed scrutiny of the Nigerian government’s actions and its diplomatic standing with the U.S.