Tigran Gambaryan, head of financial crime compliance at Binance Holdings Ltd., has resigned from the company.
Gambaryan, a former agent of the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS), was detained in Nigeria last year for nearly eight months on allegations of money laundering and currency manipulation.
He had travelled to Nigeria in 2023 on behalf of Binance and was later released on humanitarian grounds in October after his health reportedly deteriorated in custody.
The Nigerian government subsequently dropped all charges against him.
In a message to Bloomberg News, Gambaryan confirmed that Friday is his last day at Binance.
“Tigran has made a lasting impact on Binance, just as he did in his previous roles in law enforcement.
“We are deeply grateful for his dedication in transforming our financial crimes compliance organisation. Thanks to his tireless efforts, the crypto industry is safer for all,” a spokesperson for Binance said.
Gambaryan joined Binance in 2021 to support its anti-money laundering strategy and coordinate with law enforcement agencies globally amid increasing scrutiny on crypto platforms.
Richard Teng, Binance CEO, had earlier claimed in a blog post that the company was asked for a “secret” payment to resolve its legal challenges in Nigeria.
Before joining Binance, Gambaryan was known for his expertise in tracing illicit crypto transactions, earning him the nickname “Crypto Wizard” in US enforcement circles.
