Binance's Chief Compliance Officer, Noah Perlman, stated on Wednesday that the exchange is actively engaged in collaborative efforts with the Nigerian government to secure the release of Tigran Gambaryan, its financial crimes investigations chief, who has been imprisoned. Gambaryan, a former IRS special agent who joined Binance in 2021, was accused of money laundering, tax evasion, and manipulating Nigeria's currency prices. Despite pleading not guilty to these charges, he remains detained.

Perlman emphasized that Gambaryan was in Nigeria at the invitation of the government, underlining the tragic nature of the situation. While expressing optimism about reaching a resolution with Nigerian authorities, Perlman refrained from providing specific details during his remarks at a cybersecurity conference hosted by Chainalysis.

The events unfolded after Gambaryan and fellow executive Nadeem Anjarwalla visited Nigeria to address concerns raised by government officials. However, both executives were detained without charge and placed under house arrest. Anjarwalla managed to escape, but charges were subsequently filed against both him and Gambaryan as representatives of Binance.

In response, Binance clarified that Gambaryan did not hold decision-making authority within the exchange. The situation underscores the complexities involved in navigating regulatory landscapes, particularly in emerging markets, and the challenges faced by cryptocurrency exchanges in such environments.