In a dramatic turn of events, Nadeem Anjarwalla, a top executive at the cryptocurrency platform Binance, has reportedly escaped from custody in Nigeria. Anjarwalla, who holds both British and Kenyan citizenship, managed to flee from a guest house in Abuja where he was being held on charges of tax evasion and other offenses.
The escape took place on March 22, 2024, during the ongoing Ramadan fast. Anjarwalla, along with his colleague Tigran Gambaryan, was granted certain privileges during their detention, including access to telephones. It is believed that Anjarwalla used this opportunity to plan his escape.
Despite his British passport being in the custody of Nigerian authorities, Anjarwalla managed to leave the country using a Kenyan passport. Authorities are now working to determine his whereabouts and bring him back into custody.
The detention of Anjarwalla and Gambaryan came after Binance was restricted from operating in Nigeria in February 2024. The executives were in the country to negotiate with the government when they were arrested and charged with various offenses related to tax compliance.
The Nigerian government has since filed additional charges against Binance Holdings Limited, Anjarwalla, and Gambaryan, accusing them of offering services to subscribers on their platform without proper registration and tax compliance.
The situation has escalated further with Anjarwalla’s escape, raising questions about the security measures in place and the ongoing legal battle between Binance and the Nigerian government.
As the story continues to unfold, the international community watches closely to see how this high-profile case will be resolved and what implications it may have for the cryptocurrency industry as a whole.