Tigran Gambaryan, Head of Financial Crime Compliance at Binance and a former U.S. federal agent, has resigned from the cryptocurrency exchange months after being released from detention in Nigeria.
Gambaryan, who joined Binance in 2021, announced his departure in a LinkedIn post on Sunday, June 8, 2025. “Today is my last day at Binance, marking the end of a chapter I’m deeply proud of,” he wrote.
He praised Binance founder Changpeng Zhao for backing the creation of the company’s investigations unit, which Gambaryan built from the ground up. Under his leadership, the team grew to over 100 professionals — including former agents, prosecutors, and analysts — and helped align Binance with international law enforcement standards.
“We trained thousands of law enforcement officers globally and tackled major criminal cases,” Gambaryan noted, citing operations such as aiding the Royal Thai Police in dismantling a $270 million crypto scam, tracking ISIS-linked wallets, and assisting Nigeria’s EFCC in recovering over $400,000 in illicit funds.
His exit comes in the wake of a tumultuous episode involving his arrest and prolonged detention by Nigerian authorities earlier in 2024. Gambaryan and Binance faced allegations of money laundering and tax evasion — charges both parties denied. He was held for nearly eight months, during which he alleged poor prison conditions and claimed Nigerian officials attempted to extort a $150 million bribe.
The Nigerian government dismissed the claims, saying his detention was tied to a broader investigation into Binance’s role in suspected foreign exchange manipulation via its peer-to-peer platform — which officials blamed for destabilising the naira. His eventual release in October 2024 followed diplomatic efforts by the U.S. government, with Nigerian officials citing humanitarian grounds for the decision.
In his farewell message, Gambaryan said he intends to continue working at the intersection of technology, enforcement, and compliance.
“There’s a growing need for trusted, experienced operators who can bridge the gap between innovation and regulation,” he said. “That’s where I hope to continue making a difference — whether in public service or with a mission-driven organisation.”
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