Nigeria Brings in the Big Guns to Re-Capture Escaped Binance Exec

Reading Time: 2 minutes
  • Nigerian authorities have sought assistance from Interpol, the FBI, and the Kenyan government to locate escaped Binance executive Nadeem Anjarwalla
  • Anjarwalla, Binance’s Africa manager, escaped custody two weeks ago, and efforts to recapture him are ongoing
  • Anjarwalla and another executive, Tigran Gambaryan, face upcoming court hearings for allegedly aiding in tax evasion

Nigerian authorities have reportedly enlisted the help of Interpol, the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Kenyan government in its attempts to re-capture escaped Binance executive Nadeem Anjarwalla. Punch reports that Anjarwalla, Binance’s Africa manager, managed to slip his guards two weeks ago and hasn’t been seen since, leading to officials taking all possible measures to extradite him from wherever he ends up. He and another executive, Tigran Gambaryan, face a court hearing in the coming days over allegations of assisting in tax evasion.

Anjarwalla Back in Kenya

Anjarwalla has been on the run since failing to return from prayers at a mosque near the guest house where he and Gambrayan were being detained on March 22. He clearly used his contacts in the region to escape detection, with Nigerian authorities revealing that he managed to escape the country using a Kenyan passport.

In a bid to bring him back to face what will now be exacerbated charges, the Federal Government, in collaboration with Interpol, has initiated extradition proceedings. These charges include conducting specialized financial business without valid licenses and engaging in money laundering activities.

However, given that Kenya and Nigeria don’t have an extradition treaty, the process may be more complicated than first thought.

EFCC Overseeing Case

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has taken charge of the case, which includes charges against Binance Holdings Limited as well as its executives for multiple financial crimes. 

As well as drafting assistance from Interpol, the FBI, and the Kenyan government to hunt for Anjarwalla, the soldiers assigned to monitor Anjarwalla have also been detained for letting their charge escape, underscoring the seriousness of the situation.

Special investigators from various security and intelligence agencies, including the military, Department of State Services, police, EFCC, and the National Intelligence Agency, are conducting thorough interrogations, which must be fun.

Share