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He seized $7 billion. Then he was held hostage in Nigeria.
Manage episode 515281021 series 3677470
Former Binance exec and ex-federal agent Tigran Gambaryan reveals the shocking truth behind his 8-month detainment, the $150 million bribe demand, and how a U.S. presidential intervention secured his release.
This raw and unfiltered interview dives deep into:
The $53M trade for his freedom
Why Binance became a political target
How corrupt governments try to shake down crypto companies
The brutal reality of Nigeria's justice system
Why crypto is actually more transparent than banks
His personal fight with pneumonia, malaria & paralysis
🎙 Guest: Tigran Gambaryan — Former IRS-CI Special Agent, Ex-Head of Financial Crime Compliance at Binance
Tigran Gambaryan
Binance Nigeria hostage
Binance bribe Nigeria
crypto hostage Nigeria
Tigran Gambaryan Binance
Binance investigation Nigeria
$53 million release deal
Binance $150 million bribe
crypto compliance officer
Binance DOJ settlement
financial crime crypto
blockchain transparency
Silk Road investigator
Nigeria cryptocurrency scandal
Binance corruption allegations
0:00 – “I was able to seize $7 billion” – Tigran opens up
0:07 – Bribe demand from Nigerian politicians: $150 million
0:23 – Held hostage in Nigeria
0:37 – Who is Tigran Gambaryan? Former IRS-CI, ex-Binance exec
1:00 – Transition from law enforcement to crypto
1:50 – Why crypto still gets a bad rap
3:15 – Inside Binance's compliance turnaround
4:25 – How law enforcement tools have evolved
5:00 – Why blockchain is more transparent than banks
6:30 – How crypto crimes are tracked in real time
8:00 – Why banks are slower, less transparent
9:00 – Cash vs crypto: who’s really hiding money?
10:00 – Laws that apply (or don’t) to crypto
11:00 – Behind the scenes: Nigerian hostage situation
12:30 – $150M bribe & escalating demands
13:30 – The White House gets involved
14:15 – $53M trade, Biden thank-you call
15:00 – Tigran’s near-death experience in prison
15:56 – Pneumonia, malaria, spine surgery
16:34 – “I seized $8 billion — still in the black!”
16:46 – Final thoughts & global crypto impact
17:03 – Outro & shoutouts
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