The battle over bribery claims has escalated into a legal showdown as Philip Agbese, a member of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, has dragged Tigran Gambaryan, a top executive of Binance Holdings Limited, to court over what he describes as false and defamatory accusations.
The controversy erupted when Gambaryan, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), accused three Nigerian lawmakers, including Agbese and his colleague, Peter Akpanke, of demanding a staggering $150 million bribe in cryptocurrency. According to Gambaryan, the lawmakers insisted that the payment be made directly into their crypto wallets.
But Agbese, in a statement on Monday, swiftly refuted the allegations, calling them baseless and fabricated. The lawmaker insisted that he has never engaged in cryptocurrency trading and does not own a crypto wallet, making it, in his words, “impossible” for him to demand funds to be sent to a non-existent account.
Agbese initially gave Gambaryan a seven-day ultimatum to either provide evidence supporting his claim or publicly retract his statement. However, with no retraction in sight, the lawmaker wasted no time in escalating the matter to the courts.
On Monday, February 17, Agbese officially filed a lawsuit at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Maitama, demanding N1.5 billion in damages for what he describes as an attack on his personal and professional integrity.
Beyond financial compensation, Agbese is also seeking a court order to restrain Gambaryan and his associates from making further defamatory statements against him. Additionally, he demands a public retraction of the allegations.
In a statement issued after filing the lawsuit, Agbese made it clear that this legal battle is not just about clearing his name—it’s about defending his honor and that of his country.
“Three days after my stated deadline, and after a careful analysis of his wild claims—which hold no water either in common sense or logic—I have today instituted legal proceedings against Gambaryan after he repeated his false allegations instead of retracting them.”
The lawmaker further described the situation as an attack on his dignity that could not go unanswered:
“I was compelled to approach the court because my reputation as a citizen, a distinguished congressman, and that of my country is at stake. If I failed to do this today, posterity, my children, and the generation unborn would not forgive me.”
Agbese criticized Gambaryan for attempting to evade accountability by opting to remain silent on the matter.
“The accuser, who made these false statements, is now saying he wants to be excused from making further comments because he wants to spend more time with his family. This is totally wrong. I am an African and have a larger family and more loved ones to stay with than Gambaryan. He must come to court to prove his allegations or be ready to pay the compensation I have demanded.”
Agbese insists that his lawsuit is about more than just financial compensation, saying, it’s a warning to individuals and corporations who think they can weaponize falsehoods to manipulate narratives.
“This is not about the billions that may come at the end of the day. It is about setting a precedent—a deterrent to people like Gambaryan who believe spreading falsehood is a strategy to escape accountability for their crimes against our country and humanity.”
