# The 'Crypto Wizard' vs. Nigeria  ## Episode metadata - Episode title: The 'Crypto Wizard' vs. Nigeria - Show: Planet Money - Owner / Host: NPR - Guests: [Tigran Gambaryan](https://share.snipd.com/person/adf56553-4e8d-4bf2-9ab2-2e79a6aac179) - Episode publish date: 2025-02-11 - Episode AI description: Tigran Gambaryan, a former IRS Special Agent dubbed the 'Crypto Wizard,' shares his gripping story of being detained for eight months in Nigeria. He recounts a chaotic meeting with government officials who accused Binance of economic misdeeds. Amidst the harsh realities of prison life, Tigran faced dire conditions and fought for survival, all while longing for contact with his family. His harrowing journey sheds light on the complex dynamics of cryptocurrency in unstable economies and the systemic flaws within Nigeria's legal system. - Duration: 22:34 - Episode URL: [Open in Snipd](https://share.snipd.com/episode/d9d7ed81-5b0d-4b34-9a6c-e4f11c195835) - Show URL: [Open in Snipd](https://share.snipd.com/show/0d664d9a-72ad-49c5-aa9e-9d20862717ae) - Export date: 2026-02-11T20:07:11 ## Snips ### [Detention in Nigeria](https://share.snipd.com/snip/e9efd00a-71f6-477d-91cf-e689745da936) 🎧 07:49 - 09:34 (01:45) <iframe src="https://share.snipd.com/embed/obsidian-player/snip/faaaf88f-7e6a-4f3f-b5f4-653f2bcd77ff" width="100%" height="100" style="border: none; border-radius: 12px;" sandbox="allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-forms allow-popups allow-clipboard-write" ></iframe> - Tigran Gambaryan, a former IRS agent working for Binance, traveled to Nigeria to meet with officials. - Nigerian officials detained him, accusing Binance of harming their economy and demanding fines and user data. #### 💬 Quote > They then told Tigran that they weren't going to let him leave Nigeria until they were satisfied that Binance was going to remedy the situation. > — Dina Temple-Raston Dina Temple-Raston on Tigran's detention #### 📚 Transcript **Tigran Gambaryan:** brings us back to Tigran. Tigran's trip to Nigeria was going to be quick, just a few days of back-to meetings. He didn't even check a bag. **Dina Temple-Raston:** The most important meeting was at the big law enforcement intelligence agency in Nigeria, known as the National Security Agency, or NSA. Tigran was excited about the meeting. But when he showed up... **Nadim Anjawala:** They're like, oh, just come in, just sit down. They'll come in in a little bit. We waited for a couple of hours. Were **Dina Temple-Raston:** you worried that you were waiting that long? It **Nadim Anjawala:** started getting a little weird. Tigran **Dina Temple-Raston:** was there with a colleague named Nadim Anjawala. Nadim was younger. He wasn't a former cop. He was more like Binance's business guy for Africa. And **Tigran Gambaryan:** the two of them were waiting to meet with the head of the NSA to talk through how Binance and Nigeria could work better together. But that meeting never happened. Instead, eventually a bunch of Nigerian officials filed into the room. None of them were really making eye contact with Tigran or Nadim. And when the meeting did start, Tigran realized it was not what they signed up for. One **Nadim Anjawala:** of the guys who was actually responsible for this, he comes in, kind of slaps a folder on the table, starts saying, you know, you've, you know, destroyed Nigerian economy. The **Dina Temple-Raston:** Nigerian authorities told them that Binance had tanked their currency, that they'd laundered money, and that they'd evaded taxes. **Tigran Gambaryan:** According to Tigran, they basically said, we are not going to let you leave until we are satisfied that Binance is on the up and up. Among other things, they said they wanted Binance to pay those taxes and also some fines. And they said they wanted more control over the platform, including information on Binance's users. We **Nadim Anjawala:** want user records for every single Nigerian user. Until that's done, you can't leave. We --- ### [Nadim's Escape](https://share.snipd.com/snip/ffda8a81-423d-444e-b3cf-3f374479841c) 🎧 11:26 - 12:37 (01:11) <iframe src="https://share.snipd.com/embed/obsidian-player/snip/2be48793-84f7-4c60-9c36-7355b053252c" width="100%" height="100" style="border: none; border-radius: 12px;" sandbox="allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-forms allow-popups allow-clipboard-write" ></iframe> - Tigran and his colleague, Nadim, were initially held in a safe house with decent conditions. - Nadim unexpectedly escaped, leaving Tigran alone and facing the Nigerian authorities. #### 💬 Quote > Nadim had escaped. And Tigran says at this moment, he felt his heart sink. > — Nick Fountain Nick Fountain describing Nadim's escape and Tigran's reaction #### 📚 Transcript **Tigran Gambaryan:** took them to a safe house in the capital. Apparently, the conditions there weren't all that bad. Tigran had access to a phone. He could talk to a lawyer. Nadim convinced the guards to buy satellite TV so they could watch movies. And the food, Tigran says, it was good. **Nadim Anjawala:** There was a cook that was assigned to the house. Nadim was ridiculous the whole time. It crazy. He would make crazy requests and kept asking for, like, smoothies in the morning. The cook would make him, like, two smoothies, like an avocado smoothie and whatever. **Tigran Gambaryan:** Weeks passed like this. Not much action, a lot of smoothies. Tigran took to push-ups and pull-ups to stay fit and take the edge off his anxiety. But Nadim was getting more and more freaked out, and Tigran tried to comfort him. And **Dina Temple-Raston:** then one day, about a month after they were detained, things took a turn. Tigran went to Nadim's room. It **Nadim Anjawala:** was dark. The lights were out. So I went up and knocked on his door. He didn't answer. He **Dina Temple-Raston:** opened the door. I was **Nadim Anjawala:** like, Nadim, Nadim, are you there? No response. I just see, you know, just a mountain of like blankets and like pillows. And like, there's a foot sticking out from underneath the blanket. And I pulled it off. He stuffed a water bottle inside a sock. Put it there, so. Oh, **Dina Temple-Raston:** my God. Yeah. --- ### [Kuja Prison](https://share.snipd.com/snip/ecf51f5a-e94a-4aec-96a9-b200549ada94) 🎧 14:00 - 14:44 (00:44) <iframe src="https://share.snipd.com/embed/obsidian-player/snip/bf824526-b096-47bf-b426-177b0c285925" width="100%" height="100" style="border: none; border-radius: 12px;" sandbox="allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-forms allow-popups allow-clipboard-write" ></iframe> - After Nadim's escape, Tigran's treatment worsened, and he was moved to Kuja prison. - The prison was known for housing ISIS militants, and Tigran's cell was infested with cockroaches. #### 💬 Quote > The prison he ended up in is infamous. It's called Kuja. It's where Nigeria puts ISIS militants. > — Nick Fountain Nick Fountain describing Kuja prison #### 📚 Transcript **Tigran Gambaryan:** he was arraigned, he was not sent back to the guest house with the satellite TV and the chef. This time, his treatment was much worse. They treated me like Hannibal **Nadim Anjawala:** Lecter when they're transporting me. It was ridiculous. two trucks full of people with rifles, one in the front, one in the back. It was insane. The **Tigran Gambaryan:** prison he ended up in is infamous. It's called Kuja. It's where Nigeria puts ISIS militants. It's actually one of the largest prisons in Nigeria. **Dina Temple-Raston:** Tigran wasn't put in general population. He wasn't going to be bunking with some ISIS guy. He got his own cell. It **Nadim Anjawala:** was just a cell with no air conditioning, nothing, cockroaches. There's a mattress and a ton of cockroaches just everywhere, just like infestation. --- ### [Tigran's Daughter](https://share.snipd.com/snip/b9a12d46-cb35-4027-b0a5-931115afd38b) 🎧 17:21 - 17:43 (00:21) <iframe src="https://share.snipd.com/embed/obsidian-player/snip/835af308-c4d4-4689-9b52-26abe4e9ea4c" width="100%" height="100" style="border: none; border-radius: 12px;" sandbox="allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-forms allow-popups allow-clipboard-write" ></iframe> - While imprisoned, Tigran maintained contact with his daughter through video calls. - He pretended to be on a business trip, but she later revealed she knew the truth after Googling him. #### 💬 Quote > He says he spent hours on video calls with his 10-year old daughter. They'd talk while she played video games late into the night. > — Nick Fountain Nick Fountain on Tigran's communication with his daughter #### 📚 Transcript **Tigran Gambaryan:** Tigran did get a phone, and he was able to talk with his family. He says he spent hours on video calls with his 10-year daughter. They'd talk while she played video games late into the night. And on those calls, he says he tried to pretend things were normal, that he was just on a long business trip. But later, he found out that she'd known all along. She'd Googled him. --- ### [Declining Health](https://share.snipd.com/snip/8b474174-6048-4847-bc58-1dacfa0cba52) 🎧 17:44 - 18:38 (00:53) <iframe src="https://share.snipd.com/embed/obsidian-player/snip/1951385f-4df8-4b07-9250-a94d59d77a31" width="100%" height="100" style="border: none; border-radius: 12px;" sandbox="allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-forms allow-popups allow-clipboard-write" ></iframe> - Tigran's health deteriorated in prison; he contracted malaria and pneumonia, becoming bedridden. - Nigerian officials prevented him from using a wheelchair during public appearances, fearing negative press. #### 💬 Quote > Eventually, he became bedridden. And that aggravated some of his back problems. He ended up unable to walk. > — Nick Fountain Nick Fountain describing Tigran's health issues #### 📚 Transcript **Dina Temple-Raston:** go by. And even though Tigran's a strong-willed person, spending that long in a seedy prison cell started to wear him down. Not just mentally, but physically. I **Nadim Anjawala:** just can't believe that I'm still here. I spent my 40th birthday in a Nigerian prison, for God's sake. **Dina Temple-Raston:** And then one morning, he wakes up feeling sick. It **Nadim Anjawala:** feels kind of like food poisoning. So next thing I know, I'm **Tigran Gambaryan:** thrown up. In May, about three months into his detention, Tigran got malaria. Pretty common in Nigeria. It's treatable. Think like a bad flu, but worse. But if it is not treated, it can be debilitating, even deadly. And Tigrin was not getting good care. His malaria led to pneumonia. Eventually, he became bedridden. And that aggravated some of his back problems. He ended up unable to walk. He needed a wheelchair to get around. But --- ### [Shifting Tides](https://share.snipd.com/snip/975232b5-0ea9-42b1-b525-b4b6d9d5c8f6) 🎧 19:34 - 21:10 (01:36) <iframe src="https://share.snipd.com/embed/obsidian-player/snip/f05af832-5da7-45b7-9e92-e13a7b9ac8fc" width="100%" height="100" style="border: none; border-radius: 12px;" sandbox="allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-forms allow-popups allow-clipboard-write" ></iframe> - A video of Tigran's poor health in court and the weak evidence presented by Nigerian prosecutors changed the U.S. government's stance. - They realized Nigeria's case against Tigran was flimsy compared to their own case against Binance. #### 💬 Quote > The key thing that turned the tide for Tigran was when Nigerian prosecutors actually started to lay out their case against him in court filings. > — Nick Fountain Nick Fountain explaining the turning point in Tigran's case #### 📚 Transcript **Tigran Gambaryan:** Yeah, but the key thing that turned the tide for Tigran was when Nigerian prosecutors actually started to lay out their case against him in court filings. The **Nadim Anjawala:** only evidence that they had in my charging documents was my business card that said I was head of the Global Intelligence Investigations. In my entire charging records against me, my business card is the only evidence in there. Tigran **Tigran Gambaryan:** was expecting the Nigerian prosecutors to at least have gone through the motions of building a case against him. But instead, what they had tying Tigran to these alleged crimes was a single sheet of paper, a photocopy of his business card. And that, that was the moment, it seems, that Tigran's case really changed for the U.S. government. Yeah, the **Dina Temple-Raston:** whole time Tigran had been detained in Nigeria, I'd been calling sources at the Justice Department, the White House, and even one high-level State Department official saying, what are you doing to get this guy out? They wouldn't go into detail, and they weren't authorized to speak on the record, but I got the impression that they were dragging their feet. Maybe because the U.S. saw Nigeria as a partner. Maybe because at first blush, Nigeria's case against Tigran seemed so much like the U.S.'s own case against Binance. But after prosecutors submitted their evidence, it became clear that Nigeria's case against Tigran was nothing like the one the U.S. had brought against CZ, the founder of Binance. The U.S. case was years in the making. They had reams of evidence, emails, voice messages, transactions. Nigeria had none of that. --- ### [Release and Aftermath](https://share.snipd.com/snip/18c09aeb-0645-4d0c-ab77-c861e0a8bc3b) 🎧 21:15 - 22:33 (01:18) <iframe src="https://share.snipd.com/embed/obsidian-player/snip/fb25f4d2-8a83-4717-8bb4-fc3733e32c03" width="100%" height="100" style="border: none; border-radius: 12px;" sandbox="allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-forms allow-popups allow-clipboard-write" ></iframe> - The U.S. government increased diplomatic pressure on Nigeria for Tigran's release, even involving President Biden. - Nigeria eventually released Tigran on humanitarian grounds due to his declining health. #### 💬 Quote > The U.S. strategy to get Tigran out was, it seems, pretty simple. A full-court diplomatic press. > — Nick Fountain Nick Fountain on U.S. efforts to secure Tigran's release #### 📚 Transcript **Tigran Gambaryan:** U.S. strategy get Tigran out was, it seems, pretty simple. A full-court diplomatic press. For months, U.S. officials told to bring up Tigran at the beginning of every meeting they had with Nigerian officials, with the foreign minister, the finance minister, the national security advisor, but also the minister of culture, the minister of sports. And this strategy went all the way to the top, all the way to then-President Joe Biden. According **Dina Temple-Raston:** to four people close to the case, Biden was scheduled to meet with Nigeria's President Tanubu. That was last September at the UN General Assembly in New York. And U.S. officials signaled that Biden was going to raise Tigran's case in those meetings. And according to my sources, President Tenubu ended up skipping the entire U.N. General Assembly, maybe to avoid the embarrassment of that meeting. Tigran's **Tigran Gambaryan:** health, meanwhile, continued to deteriorate. And eventually, the pressure, maybe the embarrassment, became much. The Nigerian government announced they were going to release Tigran on humanitarian grounds. They said they were just releasing him so that he could get medical care. Binance set a private plane to pick up Tigran. They flew him to Rome, and then he took a commercial flight back to the U.S. --- Created with [Snipd](https://www.snipd.com) | Highlight & Take Notes from Podcasts