Nigeria, March 4 -- On 23 October 2024, Nigeria dropped criminal charges against Tigran Gambaryan, a Binance executive arrested in February 2024 and prosecuted, alongside his company, for money laundering, tax evasion and currency speculation.

In asking the judge, Emeka Nwite, to discontinue Mr Gambaryan's trial that day, R.U. Adaba, a prosecutor from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), hinted that the charges against the American were being withdrawn for "some critical international and diplomatic reasons".

The lawyer did not provide details. However, she cited Mr Gambaryan's worsening health in custody as the main reason for dropping the charges. On being freed from the Kuje Correctional Centre that same day, American...