In 2024, Tigran Gambaryan, a former IRS agent and executive at Binance, was held in Nigeria for eight months on charges including money laundering. Despite his expertise in investigating crypto crimes, he found himself under detention after a risky trip to meet government officials in response to Nigeria's crackdown on cryptocurrency trading. Gambaryan and his colleague were detained under orders from Nigeria's anti-corruption agency without any immediate charges, enduring significant hardships during their confinement. Following a daring escape by his colleague, the situation escalated, with Gambaryan facing severe charges including a tax evasion case worth millions. His health deteriorated during this period, drawing the attention of U.S. officials and lawmakers who called for his release. Finally, Gambaryan was released in late October, coinciding with a U.S.-Nigeria agreement on addressing illicit finance and cryptocurrencies, yet tensions regarding Binance's operations in Nigeria remained unresolved.

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