Binance Executive Contracts Malaria in Nigeria, Court Hearing Postponed to June 20

A Nigerian court has postponed the trial concerning Binance due to the illness of the accused, Tigran Gambaryan, Vice President of Global Intelligence and Investigations at the cryptocurrency exchange. This was reported by Reuters.

The defense stated that the defendant’s health deteriorated sharply on Wednesday, May 22, preventing him from attending the hearing.

“He received intravenous treatment for malaria at a medical facility. [Gambaryan] is very ill and requires comprehensive medical care,” the letter stated.

The judge accepted the lawyer’s arguments, allowing the Binance executive to receive hospital treatment. The hearing was rescheduled for June 20 and 21.

Gambaryan’s wife, Yuki, reported that her husband lost consciousness after attending court on Thursday, May 23. She also complained about the “devastating” conditions in the local Kuje prison, where members of the terrorist group Boko Haram are also held.

“My husband is a strong, healthy man, but he is facing an environment that can bring even the strongest of us to our knees. This punitive punishment of Tigran, ultimately aimed at his employer, has dragged on. My husband is ill, he needs help — show some humanity,” Gambaryan wrote in a letter seen by CoinDesk.

Previously, the executive was denied bail due to fears he might flee. Nadim Anjarwalla, the director of Binance in West and East Africa, who was detained alongside Gambaryan, secretly flew out of Nigeria to Kenya at the end of March. However, authorities tracked him down there and are preparing extradition.

Binance Holdings Limited, Gambaryan, and Anjarwalla are accused of tax evasion. In a separate case, they are charged with laundering at least $21.6 billion and conducting specialized financial activities without a license. The company and executives deny the charges.

The exchange has been required to provide data on all users from Nigeria and their transaction history. The platform is also obliged to settle any outstanding tax liabilities.

Potentially, Binance faces a $10 billion fine.