Nadeem Anjarwalla, a regional manager for cryptocurrency exchange Binance, escaped custody on Friday, March 22nd, according to Premium Times. Anjarwalla, a British national with Kenyan citizenship, was detained in Abuja alongside colleague Tigran Gambaryan, a US citizen, on February 26th upon arrival in Nigeria.
Both men were facing tax evasion charges after the Nigerian government accused Binance of failing to register and collect taxes from Nigerian users. The charges allege Binance violated multiple tax acts, including failing to issue invoices and deducting Value Added Tax (VAT) from transactions.
Anjarwalla reportedly absconded while being escorted to a mosque for prayers during Ramadan. Authorities are investigating how he obtained a Kenyan passport to board an international flight and are currently determining his whereabouts. The other executive, Gambaryan, remains in custody.
The escape comes amidst heightened scrutiny on cryptocurrency platforms in Nigeria. The government suspects Binance is being used for money laundering and terrorist financing, with over $21.6 billion allegedly traded by Nigerians with concealed identities.
Binance has not yet commented on the escape or the tax charges. A court hearing is scheduled for April 4th.
