Rep Philip Agbese Sues Binance Compliance Chief For N1 Billion Over Defamation Claims

*Accuses Tigran Gambaryan of False Allegations, Seeks Damages and Public Retraction

A member of the House of Representatives, Philip Agbese, has filed a defamation lawsuit against Tigran Gambaryan, Binance’s Chief Compliance Officer, seeking N1 billion in damages. The lawsuit, filed at the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja on Monday, stems from Gambaryan’s social media posts accusing Agbese and two other lawmakers of demanding a $150 million bribe.

The case, marked FCT/HC/CV/576/2025, was initiated by Agbese’s legal team, led by human rights and digital lawyer Samuel Ihensekhien. The lawmaker claims that Gambaryan’s allegations, published on his X (formerly Twitter) handle @TigranGambaryan, are false, malicious, and intended to tarnish his reputation.

Agbese, who denies ever owning a cryptocurrency account or engaging in digital currency transactions, is seeking:

The court has directed that Gambaryan be served notice of the lawsuit and given eight days to respond. If he fails to do so, the court may proceed with a judgment in his absence.

The lawsuit comes amid Nigeria’s ongoing regulatory crackdown on Binance, with the cryptocurrency exchange facing allegations of operating without proper licensing and facilitating transactions that undermine the national economy. Gambaryan’s posts, which were widely circulated on social media and online news platforms, accused Agbese and other lawmakers of corruption, a claim the lawmaker vehemently denies.

In the court documents, Agbese argued that the allegations have caused significant harm to his reputation and integrity, both within Nigeria and internationally. He also accused Gambaryan of breaching his right to privacy under Section 37 of the Nigerian Constitution by releasing his official designation and details without consent.

Reliefs Sought:

No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.