BinanceexecutiveTigranGambaryan’schargesofmoneylaunderinghavereportedlybeendroppedinNigeriaafterhespentsevenmonthsinprison.
Accordingtolocalreports,theNigeriangovernmentisdroppingallchargesagainstGambaryan,leavingBinanceastheonlydefendantleftinthelawsuit.
Thejudgeinthecase,EmekaNwite,orderedGambaryantobereleasedfromprisonjusttwodaysbeforehisOctober25thtrialaftertheprosecutionmadearequesttodosoearlierintheday.
AsstatedbyattorneyR.U.Adaba,amemberoftheprosecutingagency,
“Thegovernmenthasreviewedthecaseand,takenintoconsiderationthattheseconddefendant(Mr.Gambaryan)isanemployeeofthefirstdefendant(BinanceHoldingsLimited),whosestatusinthematterhasmoreimpactthantheseconddefendant’s,andalsotakingintoconsiderationsomecriticalinternationalanddiplomaticreasons,thestateseekstodiscontinuethecaseagainsttheseconddefendant.”
AdabagoesontosaythatGambaryan’sdeterioratinghealthwasalsoadecidingfactorinhisrelease,addingthatthedefendantwasinawheelchairandhasbeenrecommendedsurgery.
“ThehealthofthedefendanthasbeenarecurrentissuewhichthestatehasmanagedwellatthecorrectionalcenterfacilitythroughNSA(theNationalSecurityAdviser).”
ThedecisiontoreleaseGambaryancomesafterJudgeNwiteruledearlierthismonththatsomeonebeinginpoorhealth“doesnotentitlethemtoleavecustody,unlessthecontinuousstayofthedetaineepossessesaharmtoothersandquarantineisn’tavailable.”
Gambaryan,aformeragentoftheUSInternalRevenueService(IRS),initiallytraveledtoNigeriawithacolleagueasameansofengaginginregulatorytalks.
However,hewasimprisonedshortlyafterandchargedwithmoneylaunderingandoperatinganunlicensedfinancialinstitutionwhilehisco-workermanagedtofleethecountry.
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