币安在尼日利亚面临金融不当行为指控，包括逃税和洗钱

尼日利亚当局正在审查币安在尼日利亚的业务，指控币安操纵货币和非法资金转移。一名币安高管在尼日利亚被拘留，另一名高管在被拘留后潜逃。该交易所面临逃税和规避尼日利亚法律的指控。尽管币安否认有不当行为并强调合规，但当局仍在继续调查，引发了人们对尼日利亚与加密货币复杂关系的担忧。

Nigerian Authorities Accuse Binance of Extensive Financial Misdeeds, Including Tax Evasion, Currency Manipulation, and Facilitating Illicit Fund Transfers

尼日利亚当局指控币安存在广泛的金融不当行为，包括逃税、货币操纵和协助非法资金转移

Binance Executive Remains in Custody, While Another Flees Country

币安高管仍被拘留，另一名高管则逃离国家

Alleged Violations of Nigerian Laws and Circumvention of Regulations Emerge

涉嫌违反尼日利亚法律和规避法规的情况出现

Lagos, Nigeria - Binance, the global cryptocurrency exchange giant, is facing intense scrutiny in Nigeria, Africa's largest cryptocurrency market. Nigerian authorities have launched a wide-ranging investigation into the company's operations, accusing it of numerous infractions, including tax evasion, currency manipulation, and facilitating the transfer of illicit funds.

尼日利亚拉各斯 - 全球加密货币交易巨头币安在非洲最大的加密货币市场尼日利亚面临严格审查。尼日利亚当局对该公司的运营展开了广泛的调查，指控其存在大量违规行为，包括逃税、操纵货币和协助转移非法资金。

Court documents obtained by Decrypt reveal that Nigerian authorities have alleged that Binance, along with its Regional Head for Africa, Nadeem Anjarwalla, and Head of Financial Crime Compliance, Tigran Gambaryan, "carried on specialized business of other financial institutions without a valid license."

Decrypt 获得的法庭文件显示，尼日利亚当局指控币安及其非洲区域主管 Nadeem Anjarwalla 和金融犯罪合规主管 Tigran Gambaryan“在没有有效许可证的情况下开展其他金融机构的专门业务”。

Authorities have also accused the cryptocurrency exchange of manipulating the foreign exchange market, concealing the origins of illicit funds, and facilitating the transfer of a cumulative sum of $35.4 million.

当局还指控该加密货币交易所操纵外汇市场，隐瞒非法资金来源，并为累计 3540 万美元的转移提供便利。

In February, Binance dispatched Anjarwalla and Gambaryan to Abuja, Nigeria's capital city, to meet with senior government officials as part of the ongoing investigation into cryptocurrency exchanges. As part of the probe, Nigeria demanded that Binance provide information on its top 100 users in the country, along with their transaction history for the past six months.

今年 2 月，币安派 Anjarwalla 和 Gambaryan 前往尼日利亚首都阿布贾，与政府高级官员会面，作为正在进行的加密货币交易所调查的一部分。作为调查的一部分，尼日利亚要求币安提供该国前 100 位用户的信息，以及他们过去六个月的交易历史。

On February 28th, the officials were detained on the orders of the nation's security adviser, Nuhu Ribadu. No charges were initially brought against the pair, who were held by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for 14 days under the terms of a court order, which was later extended.

2 月 28 日，根据国家安全顾问努胡·里巴杜 (Nuhu Ribadu) 的命令，这些官员被拘留。两人最初没有受到任何指控，根据法院命令的条款，他们被经济和金融犯罪委员会 (EFCC) 拘留 14 天，后来又延长了期限。

On March 22nd, Anjarwalla, a British-Kenyan national, escaped custody, reportedly after he was allowed to visit a local mosque for prayers under guard. Media reports suggest he used a concealed passport to flee the country to an unknown destination. Nigeria is reportedly working with INTERPOL to return Anjarwalla to the country.

3 月 22 日，英国裔肯尼亚公民安贾尔瓦拉 (Anjarwalla) 越狱，据报道，他被允许在看守下参观当地一座清真寺进行祈祷。媒体报道称，他使用隐藏的护照逃离该国，前往未知目的地。据报道，尼日利亚正在与国际刑警组织合作，将安贾尔瓦拉送回该国。

That same day, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) filed charges of tax evasion against Binance, Anjarwalla, and Gambaryan. On March 28th, the EFCC charged Binance, Anjarwalla, and Gambaryan with money laundering.

同一天，联邦税务局 (FIRS) 对币安、Anjarwalla 和 Gambaryan 提出逃税指控。 3 月 28 日，EFCC 指控币安、Anjarwalla 和 Gambaryan 洗钱。

Gambaryan, an American citizen, remains in custody and has sued the Nigerian government for unlawful detention. He was served with the charges during a court appearance yesterday and did not enter a plea. He is scheduled for formal arraignment on the money laundering charges on April 8th and the tax evasion charges on April 19th, when his plea will be entered.

美国公民甘巴良仍被拘留，并已起诉尼日利亚政府非法拘留。他在昨天出庭时收到了指控，但没有提出抗辩。他定于 4 月 8 日接受洗钱指控的正式传讯，并于 4 月 19 日接受逃税指控的正式传讯，届时他将提出抗辩。

The EFCC has suggested that Gambaryan could face charges on behalf of the exchange. His family has expressed concern that the Binance official is being used as a pawn by Nigerian authorities to punish his employer.

EFCC 表示 Gambaryan 可能会代表交易所面临指控。他的家人对这位币安高管被尼日利亚当局用作惩罚其雇主的棋子表示担忧。

"Simply put, my husband is being held as blackmail," stated his wife, Yuki.

“简单地说，我的丈夫因勒索而被拘留，”他的妻子由纪说。

Binance has maintained that Gambaryan has not violated any Nigerian law and that he does not have decision-making power within the company.

币安坚称甘巴扬没有违反任何尼日利亚法律，并且他在公司内部没有决策权。

In Gambaryan's suit against the Nigerian government, he alleges violations of his constitutional rights and awaits arraignment with Binance and Anjarwalla in the Federal High Court in Abuja.

在 Gambaryan 对尼日利亚政府的诉讼中，他声称自己的宪法权利受到侵犯，并正在阿布贾联邦高等法院等待币安和 Anjarwalla 的提审。

"The detentions will damage Nigeria's reputation," said Seyi Awojulugbe, a senior analyst at Lagos-based risk consultancy firm SBM Intelligence.

拉各斯风险咨询公司 SBM Intelligence 的高级分析师 Seyi Awojulugbe 表示：“拘留将损害尼日利亚的声誉。”

The CEO of a Nigerian peer-to-peer cryptocurrency marketplace has dismissed allegations that cryptocurrency exchanges are used for money laundering and terror financing as "rubbish."

尼日利亚点对点加密货币市场的首席执行官驳斥了有关加密货币交易所被用于洗钱和恐怖融资的指控，称其为“垃圾”。

"There are smart people in government who know that the vast majority of any illegal activity is done with fiat, the traditional banking system, and cash dollars," Ray Youssef, CEO of NoOnes, told Decrypt.

NoOnes 首席执行官雷·优素福 (Ray Youssef) 告诉 Decrypt：“政府中有一些聪明人知道，绝大多数非法活动都是通过法定货币、传统银行系统和现金美元完成的。”

Binance and Nigeria: A Contentious Relationship

币安和尼日利亚：有争议的关系

Despite a change in leadership at Binance, with Richard Teng succeeding Changpeng Zhao as CEO, the company's relationship with Nigerian authorities remains strained. In February, Nigeria's central bank governor, Olayemi Cardoso, alleged that $26 billion had flowed through Binance Nigeria from unidentified sources in one year.

尽管币安的领导层发生了变化，滕理查德接替赵长鹏担任首席执行官，但该公司与尼日利亚当局的关系仍然紧张。今年 2 月，尼日利亚央行行长奥拉耶米·卡多佐 (Olayemi Cardoso) 声称，一年内有 260 亿美元从不明来源流经币安尼日利亚。

"We are concerned that certain practices go on that indicate illicit flows going through a number of these entities and suspicious flows at best," Cardoso remarked.

卡多佐表示：“我们担心某些做法的持续存在，表明这些实体中存在非法资金流动，充其量是可疑资金流动。”

According to Chainalysis, a global cryptocurrency analysis firm, at least $24.2 billion was received by illicit cryptocurrency addresses globally in 2023, although the actual figure could be higher.

根据全球加密货币分析公司 Chainaanalysis 的数据，2023 年全球非法加密货币地址至少收到 242 亿美元，但实际数字可能更高。

Bayo Onanuga, a spokesman for Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, claimed in March that Binance's operations were detrimental to the country's economy and blamed the cryptocurrency giant for weakening the local currency, the naira.

尼日利亚总统博拉·蒂努布 (Bola Tinubu) 的发言人巴约·奥纳努加 (Bayo Onanuga) 在 3 月份声称，币安的运营不利于该国经济，并指责这家加密货币巨头削弱了当地货币奈拉。

Binance has denied any wrongdoing but suspended all its naira-denominated services in March.

币安否认有任何不当行为，但于 3 月份暂停了所有以奈拉计价的服务。

Last month, the FIRS filed tax evasion charges against Binance, alleging that the company had aided its Nigerian users in evading taxes.

上个月，FIRS 对币安提出逃税指控，指控该公司帮助尼日利亚用户逃税。

The FIRS cited Section 40 of the FIRS Establishment Act 2007 as amended, which prohibits the non-deduction and non-remittance of taxes and prescribes penalties and potential imprisonment for defaulting entities.

FIRS 引用了经修订的 2007 年 FIRS 设立法第 40 条，该条禁止不扣除和不汇出税款，并规定了对违约实体的处罚和可能的监禁。

Binance is also accused of failing to collect and remit value-added tax and company income tax, as well as failing to comply with tax return filing obligations.

币安还被指控未能征收和缴纳增值税和公司所得税，以及未能遵守纳税申报义务。

Nigeria's Troubled Relationship with Cryptocurrency

尼日利亚与加密货币的关系陷入困境

The Binance case highlights Nigeria's complex and evolving relationship with cryptocurrency.

币安案凸显了尼日利亚与加密货币之间复杂且不断发展的关系。

In May 2023, President Muhammadu Buhari signed the 2023 Finance Act, introducing a 10% capital gains tax on profits from the disposal of digital assets effective May 1, 2023.

2023 年 5 月，总统穆罕默德·布哈里签署了《2023 年金融法案》，对处置数字资产的利润征收 10% 的资本利得税，自 2023 年 5 月 1 日起生效。

The country also launched a national blockchain adoption policy in May 2023, aiming to mitigate risks such as money laundering and fraud and to foster trust in cryptocurrency.

该国还于 2023 年 5 月推出了国家区块链采用政策，旨在减轻洗钱和欺诈等风险，并增强对加密货币的信任。

Despite these initiatives, President Bola Tinubu, upon assuming office in 2023, lifted the ban on banks facilitating cryptocurrency trading but subsequently initiated a more intense crackdown on cryptocurrency exchanges.

尽管采取了这些举措，总统 Bola Tinubu 在 2023 年上任后取消了对银行促进加密货币交易的禁令，但随后对加密货币交易所发起了更严厉的打击。

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had already ordered the closure of all accounts linked to cryptocurrency exchanges in 2021, fearing that anonymous crypto accounts could facilitate money laundering and terror financing.

尼日利亚中央银行 (CBN) 已下令在 2021 年关闭所有与加密货币交易所相关的账户，担心匿名加密账户可能会促进洗钱和恐怖融资。

Although the Nigerian government initially indicated its willingness to allow crypto exchanges to register, new entrants are now subject to stricter registration and operation fees, and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has implemented new anti-money laundering regulations for digital asset operators.

尽管尼日利亚政府最初表示愿意允许加密货币交易所注册，但现在新进入者需要缴纳更严格的注册和运营费用，而且美国证券交易委员会（SEC）已经针对数字资产运营商实施了新的反洗钱法规。

The SEC has consistently warned investors that cryptocurrencies are risky ventures and has urged caution.

美国证券交易委员会一直警告投资者，加密货币是有风险的投资，并敦促投资者谨慎行事。

Experts contend that Nigeria's foreign exchange crisis is primarily driven by reckless spending rather than cryptocurrency trading.

专家认为，尼日利亚的外汇危机主要是由不计后果的支出造成的，而不是加密货币交易。

"Despite the government's tendency to blame external factors, such as cryptocurrency trading, the root causes of Nigeria's forex rate challenges lie in irresponsible government spending, oil theft, and low export income levels—for which the government bears significant responsibility," stated Awojulugbe.

“尽管政府倾向于归咎于加密货币交易等外部因素，但尼日利亚汇率挑战的根本原因在于不负责任的政府支出、石油盗窃和低出口收入水平——政府对此负有重大责任，”Awojulugbe 表示。

Binance's Response to Allegations

币安对指控的回应

The crackdown on Binance commenced months after Bureau de Change operators called for a ban on the cryptocurrency giant.

货币兑换局运营商呼吁禁止这家加密货币巨头几个月后，对币安的打击就开始了。

"We have to do something that can stop Binance. It's a competition; we need to ban Binance, and the only way to do so is if you have liquidity," Aminu Gwadebe, head of the Association of Bureaux De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON), told a government-owned news agency in August.

“我们必须做一些事情来阻止币安。这是一场竞争；我们需要禁止币安，唯一的方法就是如果你有流动性，”尼日利亚兑换局协会主席 Aminu Gwadebe（ ABCON），八月份告诉一家政府新闻机构。

Despite the legal challenges and allegations leveled against it in Nigeria, Binance has remained resolute in its defense. The cryptocurrency exchange has categorically denied any wrongdoing and emphasized its commitment to regulatory compliance in all jurisdictions where it operates.

尽管在尼日利亚面临法律挑战和指控，币安仍然坚定地进行辩护。该加密货币交易所断然否认有任何不当行为，并强调其致力于遵守其运营的所有司法管辖区的监管合规性。

Binance's chief strategy officer, Bradley Jaffe, has not responded to Decrypt's request for comment. However, in a March blog post, the company stated that it would fully cooperate with authorities while vigorously defending itself against the charges of tax evasion and illegal operations in Nigeria.

币安首席战略官 Bradley Jaffe 尚未回应 Decrypt 的置评请求。然而，该公司在三月份的一篇博客文章中表示，将全力配合当局，同时针对在尼日利亚的逃税和非法经营指控，积极为自己辩护。

In an April blog post, Binance acknowledged ongoing discussions with Nigerian government officials regarding Gambaryan's detention.

在四月份的一篇博客文章中，币安承认正在与尼日利亚政府官员就甘巴良的拘留进行讨论。