(This October 11 article has been corrected to read “head of financial compliance” rather than “head of financial compliance” in paragraph 1, and changed “head of compliance” to “executive director” in the headline)

Camillus Eboh

ABUJA (Reuters) – The head of Binance’s financial crimes unit was denied bail for a second time on Friday as his trial on money laundering charges began in Nigeria and a judge ruled the prison where he is being held met the requirements. medical requirements.

Tigran Gambaryan, an American citizen, has been in custody in Nigeria since the end of February. He and Binance deny the allegations against him.

He petitioned the Federal High Court in Abuja to release him on health grounds, arguing that he needed to undergo surgery outside prison and that his health was deteriorating.

“There is no evidence before the court that the Nigerian Prisons Service is unable to cope with the defendant’s health challenges,” Justice Emeka Nwite said.

Nwite also said that Gambaryan had not withdrawn his appeal against the previous bail ruling in May and therefore his latest request “amounts to an abuse of the judicial process to allow the accused to be released on bail pending the determination of the appeal by the appellate court.” .

The judge adjourned the hearing until October 18 after Gambaryan’s lawyer questioned two state witnesses.

Gambaryan’s wife, Yuki Gambaryan, stated that her husband should not be in custody because he was never a decision maker at Binance and she will continue to fight for his freedom.

“I just pray that when he is finally released, the damage he has suffered will not be constant. “I am exhausted and deeply disappointed,” she said in a statement.

Binance separately faces tax evasion charges, which it denies.