Tigran Gambaryan, Binance Chief
Today, April 4, the anticipated arraignment of Tigran Gambaryan, a prominent figure within Binance Holdings Limited, faced a snag due to the delayed delivery of charges against him.
The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) found itself unable to proceed with the arraignment, citing difficulties in serving Gambaryan with the charges, compounded by his custody status. Gambaryan and his co-defendant, Nadeem Anjarwalla (in absentia), found themselves in the judicial spotlight over allegations of tax evasion.
Legal counsel for Gambaryan raised concerns about the government’s handling of the situation, highlighting his client’s lack of awareness regarding the charges. Despite this, no formal objection was made. The court, acknowledging the issues, ordered that Gambaryan be served in court.
Subsequently, the prosecution requested an adjournment to allow Gambaryan time to review the charges and prepare his plea. The court acceded to this request, scheduling the next proceedings for April 8 and 19, 2024.
The charges against Binance, detailed in the case marked FHC/ABJ/CR/115/2024, allege failure to register with the FIRS for tax purposes and neglecting to issue invoices for taxable services provided on its trading platform.
Gambaryan’s entrance into the courtroom was not unnoticed, as he was accompanied by heavily armed operatives from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Gambaryan, the second defendant in the case, now awaits further legal proceedings, while his co-defendant, Anjarwalla, managed to escape custody in Nigeria just the week prior.