Cryptocurrency exchange Binance's legal troubles over allegations of tax evasion have been delayed and will be resolved at a later date. A Nigerian court is scheduled to hear charges against Binance and two of its executives on May 17.
The postponement is due to the fact that the Binance exchange has not been formally served with the charges, Cointelegraph reports.
Binance and two of its executives, Tigran Gambaryan, Head of Financial Crime Compliance, and Nadeem Anjarwalla, Regional Manager for Africa, are accused of illegal activities and tax evasion. Gambaryan was arrested on February 28 during a visit to Nigeria.
The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Nigeria's regulatory body, believes that Gambaryan should represent Binance as the main defendant, as both the exchange and its executives are being charged together.
However, Gambaryan's lawyer said that such demands are illegal under Nigerian law. According to him, he cannot defend Gambaryan until the main defendant, Binance, is served with the charges. As a result, the judge was forced to adjourn the case until May 17.
The charges by the Nigerian authorities relate to Binance's failure to register with the FIRS for tax remittance purposes. In addition, Binance and its executives are accused by Nigeria's anti-corruption agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), of laundering more than $35 million from outside the country.
It's worth noting that at the Token2049 cryptocurrency conference in Dubai, Binance announced close cooperation with Nigerian authorities following Gambaryan's arrest.
Gambaryan did not plead guilty. In response to the charges, he has also sued the Nigerian government for violating his fundamental human rights. The suit states that his detention in Nigeria and the confiscation of his passport violate the country's constitution and his right to personal liberty. A second representative of the exchange, Anjarwalla, was not present in court because he avoided detention by leaving the country.
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