The saga surrounding the escape from Nigeria of a senior Binance executive has taken another twist. While local media report his whereabouts in Kenya and his imminent extradition, the fugitive’s wife refutes these allegations, adding a new dimension to this complex affair.
The international hunt for Anjarwalla, between revelations and denials
The case Nadeem Anjarwalla on chief executive for Africa of the crypto exchange giant Binance continues to make headlines. Almost a month after escape from detention in Nigeria, Nigerian authorities, supported by their Kenyan counterparts and international law enforcement agencies, believed they had finally traced him to Kenya.
According to Nigerian government sources quoted by local media such as Daily Post and The Punch, Anjarwalla would have been located thanks to the ” Op Gen. Cash Integrity” a joint action between Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency (EFCC), Interpol and the police forces of Kenya and Nigeria. The same sources had suggested that he could be extradited to Nigeria within the week via Interpol.
However, an unexpected twist has contradicted these claims. According to Coindesk, a spokesman for the wife of Anjarwalla has denied reports of his arrest in Kenya, calling the report of The Punch of “fake”.
Binance and its executives still in turmoil in Nigeria
This latest episode is part of a series of regulatory and legal setbacks for Binance in Nigeria. Anjarwalla had been arrested in February along with another Binance executive, Tigran Gambaryan. Nigerian authorities accuse the crypto exchange of manipulating the local exchange rate, tax evasion and money laundering.
Nadeem Anjarwalla who holds dual British and Kenyan nationality, had escaped in March using a concealed Kenyan passport, while his British passport was in the hands of the authorities. His colleague Gambaryan still detained in Nigeria, pleaded not guilty to money laundering charges when he appeared in court in April.
In total, Anjarwalla, his colleague and Binance face five charges, ranging from tax evasion to tax speculation, in addition to the main allegations of embezzling $35.4 million in public funds. We’ll be keeping a close eye on this case as it develops. Meanwhile, the crypto ecosystem in Nigeria is facing increasing difficulties under pressure from the Nigeria Central Bank.
As a journalist at Coinpri, I’ve been captivated by the world of bitcoin and blockchain since 2020. The decentralized aspect of Bitcoin particularly piqued my interest. Since then, I’ve been working constantly to spread my knowledge, hoping one day to see a world where everyone fully enjoys their financial freedom.
