A member of Nigeria’s House of Representatives Philip Agbese, has filed a lawsuit against Tigran Gambaryan, an executive at Binance Holdings Limited, over defamatory claims made by the Binance official.
The suit, which was filed in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Maitama, seeks N1.5 billion in damages and demands that Gambaryan retract his allegations.
The controversy began when Gambaryan posted on X (formerly Twitter) last Friday, where he accused Agbese and two other Nigerian lawmakers, including Peter Akpanke, of demanding a bribe in cryptocurrency worth $150 million. Gambaryan claimed that the lawmakers asked for the bribe to be sent to their crypto wallets.
Agbese swiftly denied the allegations, stating that he has never been involved in cryptocurrency trading and does not possess a crypto wallet. He further emphasized that he could not have requested a bribe to be sent to a “non-existent wallet.” In his response, Agbese gave Gambaryan seven days to either provide evidence of the accusation or issue an apology, warning of potential legal action if his demands were not met.
However, Gambaryan did not retract the statement, and instead, according to Agbese, repeated the false allegations. As a result, Agbese moved forward with legal action, filing a suit for defamation and seeking an injunction to prevent further defamatory statements by Gambaryan and his associates.
Agbese expressed his frustration with Gambaryan’s refusal to apologize, noting that his reputation and that of his country were at stake. In a statement issued on Monday, Agbese emphasized the importance of the legal proceedings, not only to clear his name but also as a deterrent to others who might use falsehoods to harm individuals or nations.
“This is not about the billions I may eventually receive from Gambaryan but to serve as a lesson to those who believe spreading lies is a way to escape their own wrongdoings,” Agbese said. He also pointed out that Gambaryan’s attempt to excuse himself from further comments by citing family time was “totally wrong,” and he called on the Binance executive to either prove his allegations in court or face the legal consequences.
