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Money Laundering: More Trouble For Binance As Canada Fines Crypto Giant $4.38m

Published

8 months ago

May 11, 2024

Cryptocurrency exchange giant, Binance, facing charges for alleged $35.4million money laundering and tax evasion in Nigeria, has been fined about C$ 6 million ($4.38million) by Canada’s anti-money laundering agency for violating the country’s money laundering and terrorist financing laws.

The Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada on Thursday said Binance had failed to register as a foreign money services business with the intelligence body despite several deadlines.

According to Reuters, the Canadian anti-money laundering agency added that Binance, which ceased operations in Canada last year, had not reported receiving virtual currency worth C$10,000 or more on 5,902 separate occasions between June 1, 2021, and July 19, 2023.

Binance did not immediately respond to a Reuters’ request for comment.

Meanwhile, senior authorities within the Federal Government have accused the Chief Executive Officer of Binance, Richard Teng, of blackmail, over a claim that some unknown individuals in Nigeria, demanded a $ 150 million crypto currency bribe from the company’s embattled representatives.

Top Federal Government sources who were not authorised to speak, told our correspondent in confidence in separate interviews on Tuesday.

Senior executives in the Office of the National Security Adviser noted that the Finance CEO’s claim was unfounded.

One of the sources said, “Did he (Binance CEO) mention a name? Since he didn’t mention a name, why should anyone be worried? Why should anyone waste their time if somebody made an unfounded allegation but could not mmentionany name?”

Another source noted, “If someone would say something like this, he should be able to mention the people. It’s not worth our time, anybody can say anything but as long as they can’t substantiate it, it’s a waste of time.

“He should mention names, if not, all that he’s saying is rubbish.”

Meanwhile, two other Federal Government sources at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission accused the Binance CEO of blackmailing the Nigerian government.

They noted that Teng’s claim was frivolous, adding that the Binance CEO’s action was the modus operandi of foreign personalities and corporations facing legal charges in Nigeria and other African countries.

One of the sources noted, “It is not only the EFCC that is prosecuting or investigating Binance over its atrocities against Nigeria. There are allegations of money laundering, and tax evasion, amongst others against the company, and several federal government agencies are probing the company’s activities in the country.

“But the latest comment about alleged request for bribery by the Binance CEO is a blackmail against the federal government. That is the modus operandi of international corporations and individuals facing charges in Nigeria or anywhere else in Africa.”

Another source said, “It is the tradition of these international players to blackmail the country whenever they’re caught. What is the correlation between the alleged request for a bribe and the allegations brought against Binance?

“The facts are there – they evaded tax, their platform is being used to launder money, so why are they not facing the facts? The claim is frivolous and a mere blackmail against the government.”

The PUNCH reported last Tuesday that the founder and former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao had been sentenced to four months in prison in the United States.

Zhao pleaded guilty in November 2023 to a money laundering charge.

A United States District Judge Richard Jones said in court last Tuesday that Zhao has also satisfied the requirement of him to pay $50 million in fines.

The 47-year-old admitted to violating the Bank Secrecy Act by willfully failing to set up an effective anti-money laundering system at Binance.

Zhoa founded and ran the cryptocurrency exchange as CEO from July 2017 to November 2023.

In March, The PUNCH reported that a U.S. district court ordered that Zhao surrender his Canadian passport and notify the court before travelling within the country.

News

Renovation: Tinubu, Shettima’s official quarters to gulp N6.36bn

Published

1 hour ago

December 23, 2024

Naijablitznews

The Federal Government has allocated a total of N6,364,181,224 billion for the renovation and rehabilitation of the residential quarters of President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, and some of their aides in the 2025 budget proposal.

Sunday PUNCH’s analysis of the proposed allocation, contained in the 2025 Appropriation Bill presented to the National Assembly, showed that the annual maintenance of the Presidential Villa would gulp N5.49bn.

According to the proposed budget, N765m will be used for the renovation of the Vice President’s quarters and guest house.

The renovation of the president’s quarters at the State House will cost N6.39m, while the renovation of security quarters, auditorium, gymnasium and presidential aides’ quarters will cost N49m.

In addition, the renovation of Prescott barracks at Maple State House officers’ mess building and signal office in Asokoro, Abuja will cost N51m.

Further analysis of the budget revealed that Tinubu and his vice are also expected to have N87m as honorarium and sitting allowances, while N127m was allocated for the procurement of SUVs.

Also, N3.66bn was budgeted for the purchase of State House operational vehicles and N1,09bn will be spent on replacement of SUV vehicles at the State House.

Under the budget of the State House Lagos Liaison Office, there is an allocation of N14.72m for the routine maintenance of State House Lagos facilities (Dodan Barracks, Vice President guest houses at Ikoyi, among others).

Another N140.10m was allocated for the completion of renovation and furnishing of the State House annex (Dodan Barracks), Lagos.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government is planning to spend N1.83bn on converting forfeited properties from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission into State House quarters.

The plan to convert forfeited houses from the EFCC comes in the same month that the commission disclosed the recovery of an estate in the Lokogoma District of Abuja, measuring 150,500 square metres and containing 753 units of duplexes and other apartments.

The commission described this as its “single largest asset recovery” since its inception in 2003.

The estate rests on Plot 109 Cadastral Zone C09 of the district, and was forfeited in a ruling on Monday, December 2, 2024, by Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie.

(Punch)

News

SEE NAIRA Rates Against The USD, GBP, EURO Today December 23, 2024

Published

1 hour ago

December 23, 2024

Naijablitznews

WHEN we look at this month, USD was traded at ₦ at the beginning of this December on Monday, December 2, 2024. As at today with USD being traded at ₦1,655 we see a % for United States Dollar to Naira exchange rate for this month.

On this page, we are primarily focusing on the Black Market Dollar To Naira Exchange Rate Today, the USD to Naira currency pair are the most traded currency in the FX market.

Black Market Exchange Rates
Buying Rate
Selling Rate
Dollar to Naira 1655 1640
Pounds to Naira 2150 2000
Euro to Naira 1730 1700
Canadian Dollar to Naira 1146 1135
Rand to Naira 52 43
Dirham to Naira ‎0 0
Yuan to Naira 62 62
G.Cedi to Nair 70 50
CFA F. (XOF) To Naira 0.83 0.81
CFA F. (XAF) To Naira 0.74 0.74
READ ALSO: INSIDE LIFE: 26-Year-Old Lady Died In Bangladesh With No One To Claim Her Body, She Is A Nigerian From Enugu (SEE PHOTO)

Having full knowledge how much USD to NGN black market exchange rate today will give you a better opportunity to plan and make informed decisions.

Nairatoday.com

News

Passengers Stranded As Warri-Itakpe Train Derails In Delta Community

Published

1 hour ago

December 23, 2024

Naijablitznews

Passengers of a train plying the Warri-Itakpe route escaped death on Sunday as the train derailed at Okpara in the Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State.

It was gathered that the passengers were stranded following the incident that happened at about 10pm.

According to eyewitness accounts, some of the passengers got to their destinations on Monday morning.

“The incident happened at Okpara Station last night. They stole many people’s phones and other valuables when they slept at night,” a source said.

“It’s this morning that everybody began to find their way to their various destinations.”

The Nigerian Railway Corporation confirmed the incident in a statement by its spokesman, Yakub Mahmood on Monday.

Mahmood said the service will resume shortly, adding that a team of engineers is at the site of the incident to ensure the track is restored soon.

According to him, the train service will resume as scheduled on Monday afternoon.

The statement reads in part, “The management of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) hereby informs the general public, especially our valued passengers that ply the Warri-Itakpe route, that following the minor derailment yesterday at the Okpara station, the service will resume shortly as our team of engineers are at the site of the accident to ensure the track is restored anytime soon.

“However, Itakpe-Warri (Ujewu) train will resume as scheduled in the afternoon today.

“All inconveniences caused as a result of the minor derailment is highly regretted.”