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Alleged money laundering: Reps invite Binance CEO, threatens to effect an arrest if…
… nobody shows up on Monday
The Nigerian House of Representatives has invited the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Binance Holding Limited, Richard Teng to appear before the House Committee on Financial Crimes.
The House of Representatives summoned the Binance CEO over allegations bothering on terrorism financing, money laundering and tax evasion.
The House Committee on Financial Crimes, chaired by Ginger Onwusibe last Friday issued a seven-day ultimatum to the management of Binance Holdings LTD., to appear before the committee on or before March 4, 2024.
Binance, an online exchange where users trade cryptocurrencies, has been flagged by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to have been involved in money laundering amongst other sundry allegations.
Onwusibe, however, warned that the committee will be forced to invoke its constitutional powers to take appropriate measures if Teng or any representatives of Binance fails to heed the invite.
The committee chair decried the refusal of Binance CEO to appear after a series of invitations.
He stressed the invitation was for Teng to brief the committee on issues relating to the total disregard for extant laws governing business and financial operations in Nigeria.
The committee had summoned the Managing Director of Binance, in a letter dated December 12 2023 and signed by its chairman, Onwusibe requesting a hearing on December 18, 2023.
Onwusibe, while restating the resolve of the committee to fight financial crimes maintained that “the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has empowered us to protect Nigerians from financial crimes, especially by foreign companies.
“We also have to protect and defend the country’s finances, especially now that the country is nose-diving into recession. The allegations of terrorism financing, money laundering and tax evasion amongst others levelled against Binance are damning enough.
At this material time, we need all the tax dollars and to block the leaks and channels to financing terror”.
Onwusibe went further to say: “It is also our duty to do everything in our power to protect Nigerian investors from predatory firms, and no distraction and manipulation can stop us.
“You cannot run a company with over 10 million Nigerians on your platform without paying tax and having a physical office where Nigerians can lodge their complaints when they experience any challenge with your service.
“The era of exploitation is over and all culprits must be held accountable”.
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Just in: Tinubu exposes those behind deadly stampedes
President Bola Tinubu has accused organisers for the deadly stampedes that occurred during the distribution of relief materials in three states.
Recall in the past week, chaotic scenes in Ibadan, Anambra and Abuja led to the deaths of over 60 people, including children, as crowds scrambled for food items.
During a Presidential Media Chat on Monday, Tinubu described the events as a critical failure in planning and execution.
Condolences to those who lost a family member, but it is good to give. I have been giving out food stuff, commodities, etc. in Bourdillon.
“I am an organized person and that’s why I have been giving people food for the past 25 years and no incident has happened.
“Let this tragedy not affect us”, the Nigerian leader said.
The president also said he has no plans to reduce his cabinet or sack more ministers.
For the controversial tax reform bills, he said it has come to stay.
He also revealed he has no regrets removing fuel subsidy.
He declared utmost confidence in his security chiefs saying over the past decades, wanton killings has reduced drastically.
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Tinubu To Hold Maiden Presidential Media Chat Tonight
President Bola Tinubu will hold first presidential chat since assuming office on Monday night.
Accoding to a statement released by presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, the chat will be broadcast at 9 p.m. on the stations of Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN).
All television and radio stations are requested to hook up to the broadcast.
“The first Presidential Media Chat with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will be broadcast at 9 p.m. on Monday, December 23, on the Nigerian Television Authority and Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria.
“All television and radio stations are requested to hook up to the broadcast,” the statement.
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‘Putin waiting to meet me as soon as possible’ to end Ukraine war – Trump
The US President-elect took to the stage AmFest in Phoenix to talk about his contact with the Russian leader.
He told the crowd: “President Putin has said he want to meet with me as soon as possible.”
Trump went on to brand the war “horrible” and stated it needed to end. It is not known whether or not this meeting will take place in person. His comments at the event in the US come as Putin met with another world leader.
Putin held talks in the Kremlin today (December 22) with Slovakia’s prime minister, Robert Fico, in a rare visit to Moscow by an EU leader since Russia’s all-out invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Fico arrived in Russia on a “working visit” and met with Putin one-on-one. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russia’s RIA agency that the talks would focus on “the international situation” and Russian natural gas deliveries.
Visits and phone calls from European leaders to Putin have been rare since Moscow sent troops into Ukraine, although Hungary’s PM Viktor Orban visited Russia in July. Orban’s visit drew condemnation from Kyiv and European leaders.Fico’s views on Russia’s war on Ukraine differ sharply from most other European leaders. The Slovakian PM returned to power last year after his leftist party Smer (Direction) won parliamentary elections on a pro-Russia and anti-American platform. Since then, he has ended his country’s military aid for Ukraine, hit out at EU sanctions on Russia, and vowed to block Ukraine from joining NATO.
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