Philip Agbese, member representing Ado/ Okpokwu/ Ogbadibo Federal Constituency in Benue State, has challenged Tigran Gambaryan, former executive of cryptocurrency platform, Binance, to provide evidence of him demanding for $150 million bribe.
Agbese threatened legal actions against Gambaryan if he failed to provide evidence of his allegations or apologize within seven days for making false claims against him.
Recall that Gambaryan and his fellow, Anjarwalla were detained on arrival on February 26, 2024, by the Nigerian government.
While Anjarwalla escaped from custody, Gambaryan was kept in detention and was charged for money laundering by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
This came after the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Olayemi Cardoso, raised the alarm that $26 billion was funneled through Binance without a trace.
But, months after the legal tussle, the Nigerian government dropped charges against Gambaryan and Binance.
In October 2024, the court ordered the release of Gambaryan.
On Friday, DAILY POST reported that Gambaryan accused Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, of seeking a bribe to fund his political ambition.
The Binance former executive also accused Agbese and two other Nigerian lawmakers of demanding $150 million bribe, which should be paid into their cryptocurrency wallets.
Reacting, the Benue State lawmaker denied owning a cryptocurrency wallet as claimed by Gambaryan.
In a statement he signed and forwarded to DAILY POST, Agbese said: “I am outraged by the false allegations made by Tigran Gambaryan, an executive of the controversial crypto firm Binance, claiming that I was among those who demanded a $150 million bribe from him.
“These allegations are false. I was not part of any meeting with any Binance executive regarding money for any purpose. The leadership of the Committee took the matter to court, and Binance has already apologized.
“Let it be on record that I am not a member of the Committee on Economic and Financial Crimes. I visited my colleague, Hon. Peter Ankpanke, in his office, where he was meeting with some visitors about an activity of his Committee, with Hon. Peter Anakwe, a member of the Committee present. We exchanged pleasantries and, in character with my person as an avid pursuer of knowledge, discussed Binance’s activities that did not include any demand from anyone.
“It was during this visit to the office of Hon. Peter Ankpanke, with Hon. Peter Anekwe present, that he told me they were interfacing with Binance Team from abroad over a referral to their Committee. What transpired between the two of them and the Binance executive after I left the office is left to them. I never saw those visitors again after that chance meeting and did not afterwards attend any meeting with Binance executives, the EFCC, or the DSS.
“I am aware that when this issue was first raised, the Chairman of the Committee went to court and Binance apologised. So, all inquiries should be directed to the Committee, not to Hon. Philip Agbese.
“I have never used any cryptocurrency as I do not have a crypto wallet anywhere in the world, so I could not have asked for funds to be credited to a non-existent wallet.
“Gambaryan and his associate, who escaped from prison, should return to the EFCC and defend themselves. Instead of trying to implicate me, they should focus on addressing the allegations against them.
“As a consequence of the foregoing, I demand that Tigran Gambaryan publishes any evidence that links Hon. Philip Agbese to the issue. The man has spewed many other lies in his report about the government demanding information on opposition elements and other outrageous claims. I further demand that, failing to provide evidence as stated, Tigran Gambaryan must cause a retraction of his malicious claims and publication and apologise to me within the next 7 days or face legal action from my lawyers.
“This is not the first allegation against me by a foreign entity. The first was that I work for the past government and the Armed Forces to promote Nigeria’s agenda, which shows the extent of desperation by entities that are interested in undermining public office holders they perceive as nationalistic.”
