Tigran Gambaryan, Binance’s Head of Financial Crime Compliance and a former US federal agent, has resigned from the cryptocurrency exchange, months after his release from detention by Nigerian authorities.
In a LinkedIn post shared on Sunday, June 8, 2025, Gambaryan announced, “Today is my last day at Binance, marking the end of a chapter I’m deeply proud of.”
Gambaryan, who joined Binance in 2021, played a critical role in shaping the company’s global investigations framework. At the time of his recruitment, Binance—like many firms in the crypto space—had no formal investigations team. He credited the firm’s founder, Changpeng Zhao, for empowering the creation of the unit and backing his vision.
“When I joined Binance, like most crypto exchanges at the time, it didn’t have an investigations team. But it did have a founder who was committed to bringing in experienced leadership to help the company engage more constructively with law enforcement,” Gambaryan said. “His support for our mission never wavered, and I’ll always be grateful for the trust he placed in me and the team.”
During his four-year tenure, he led efforts to build Binance’s first global financial crime investigations function, scaling the team to over 100 professionals—including ex-federal agents, prosecutors, and financial analysts. Under his leadership, Binance reportedly aligned its operations with US and international enforcement standards while training thousands of law enforcement officers globally.
Among the most significant cases during his time at Binance, Gambaryan highlighted cross-border collaboration with the Royal Thai Police to dismantle a $270 million cryptocurrency fraud network that targeted American and Thai citizens. He also referenced the identification of wallets linked to ISIS, disrupting their funding operations, and a partnership with Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that resulted in the recovery of over $400,000 in illicit funds. In that case, over 70 Nigerian agents were also trained in blockchain forensics and financial crime investigation.
His departure follows a tumultuous chapter in his career. Gambaryan was detained by the Nigerian government in early 2024 amid negotiations over Binance’s regulatory standing in the country. Both he and the company were accused of money laundering and tax evasion—charges they vehemently denied.
He spent nearly eight months in detention and later alleged that Nigerian officials had attempted to extort a $150 million bribe from Binance. The Nigerian government rejected the claims, stating that the detention was tied to investigations into suspected manipulation of the naira through Binance’s peer-to-peer platform.
Officials argued that Binance’s trading operations were contributing to the currency’s devaluation, which had triggered wider economic repercussions. Gambaryan was eventually released in October 2024 following diplomatic efforts by the United States. The Nigerian government maintained that the release was granted on humanitarian grounds and reiterated that no extortion attempt was made.
As he exits Binance, Gambaryan said he intends to continue his work at the intersection of technology, law enforcement, and regulatory compliance.
“There’s a growing need for trusted, experienced operators, people who understand how to translate between technology, enforcement, and compliance,” he wrote. “That’s where I intend to continue making a difference, whether back in public service or with a mission-driven institution.”
His resignation brings a symbolic close to a turbulent era for Binance, which has faced mounting regulatory pressure in several countries—including Nigeria—over concerns ranging from tax evasion to illicit financing and the use of crypto platforms for currency speculation.
Tigran Gambaryan, Binance’s Head of Financial Crime Compliance and a former US federal agent, has resigned from the cryptocurrency exchange, months after his release from detention by Nigerian authorities.
In a LinkedIn post shared on Sunday, June 8, 2025, Gambaryan announced, “Today is my last day at Binance, marking the end of a chapter I’m deeply proud of.”
Gambaryan, who joined Binance in 2021, played a critical role in shaping the company’s global investigations framework. At the time of his recruitment, Binance—like many firms in the crypto space—had no formal investigations team. He credited the firm’s founder, Changpeng Zhao, for empowering the creation of the unit and backing his vision.
“When I joined Binance, like most crypto exchanges at the time, it didn’t have an investigations team. But it did have a founder who was committed to bringing in experienced leadership to help the company engage more constructively with law enforcement,” Gambaryan said. “His support for our mission never wavered, and I’ll always be grateful for the trust he placed in me and the team.”
During his four-year tenure, he led efforts to build Binance’s first global financial crime investigations function, scaling the team to over 100 professionals—including ex-federal agents, prosecutors, and financial analysts. Under his leadership, Binance reportedly aligned its operations with US and international enforcement standards while training thousands of law enforcement officers globally.
Among the most significant cases during his time at Binance, Gambaryan highlighted cross-border collaboration with the Royal Thai Police to dismantle a $270 million cryptocurrency fraud network that targeted American and Thai citizens. He also referenced the identification of wallets linked to ISIS, disrupting their funding operations, and a partnership with Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that resulted in the recovery of over $400,000 in illicit funds. In that case, over 70 Nigerian agents were also trained in blockchain forensics and financial crime investigation.
His departure follows a tumultuous chapter in his career. Gambaryan was detained by the Nigerian government in early 2024 amid negotiations over Binance’s regulatory standing in the country. Both he and the company were accused of money laundering and tax evasion—charges they vehemently denied.
He spent nearly eight months in detention and later alleged that Nigerian officials had attempted to extort a $150 million bribe from Binance. The Nigerian government rejected the claims, stating that the detention was tied to investigations into suspected manipulation of the naira through Binance’s peer-to-peer platform.
Officials argued that Binance’s trading operations were contributing to the currency’s devaluation, which had triggered wider economic repercussions. Gambaryan was eventually released in October 2024 following diplomatic efforts by the United States. The Nigerian government maintained that the release was granted on humanitarian grounds and reiterated that no extortion attempt was made.
As he exits Binance, Gambaryan said he intends to continue his work at the intersection of technology, law enforcement, and regulatory compliance.
“There’s a growing need for trusted, experienced operators, people who understand how to translate between technology, enforcement, and compliance,” he wrote. “That’s where I intend to continue making a difference, whether back in public service or with a mission-driven institution.”
