Nadeem Anjarwalla, one of the Binance executives held in Nigeria for alleged tax evasion and other offences, has reportedly fled from lawful custody, according to sources familiar with the situation.
The 38-year-old British and Kenyan citizen allegedly escaped on March 22 from a guest house in Abuja, where he and his colleague were detained. It’s reported that guards on duty escorted him to a nearby mosque for prayers, as part of Ramadan observance, and he took advantage of the situation to abscond.
Anjarwalla is believed to have left Abuja via a Middle East airliner, though the details of how he managed to board an international flight while in custody remain unclear. Authorities are working to ascertain his destination in efforts to bring him back into custody.
An Immigration official revealed that Anjarwalla fled using a Kenyan passport, raising questions about how he obtained it since he had no other travel document besides his British passport when he was detained.
Sources suggest that the detained executives were held in a comfortable guest house and enjoyed certain privileges, including access to telephones, which Anjarwalla is suspected to have used to plan his escape.
When reached for comment, Zakari Mijinyawa, Head of Strategic Communication at the Office of the National Security Adviser, promised to investigate the escape but has yet to provide further information.
Nadeem Anjarwalla, Binance’s Africa regional manager, and his colleague Tigran Gambaryan, a US citizen overseeing financial crime compliance, were arrested upon their arrival in Nigeria on February 26, 2024.
A criminal charge was filed against the pair, and on February 28, a Magistrate Court in Abuja granted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) a 14-day remand order. The court also directed Binance to furnish the Nigerian government with data of Nigerians trading on its platform.
Following Binance’s non-compliance, the court extended the remand for an additional 14 days to prevent tampering with evidence, with the case adjourned until April 4, 2024.
On March 22, the Nigerian government pressed further charges against Binance Holdings Limited, Anjarwalla, and Gambaryan at the Federal High Court in Abuja. The charges include failure to register with the Federal Inland Revenue Service and failure to pay relevant taxes, among others.
The government’s crackdown on Binance follows allegations of money laundering and terrorism financing through its platform. It claims over $21.6 billion was traded by concealed Nigerian identities on Binance, contributing to economic distortion and currency devaluation.
Anjarwalla’s escape comes amid ongoing legal battles for Binance, including a settlement of $4.3 billion for criminal money laundering charges in the United States. Founder Changpeng Zhao, CZ, has pleaded guilty and agreed to resign, with his trial postponed to April 30.
For more updates on this developing story, stay tuned to MANDY NEWS.
