The Nigerian Government has initiated legal proceedings against Binance, a prominent cryptocurrency exchange platform over tax evasion.
The charges were filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).
In the suit with number: FHC/ABJ/CR/115/2024, the FIRS implicated Binance with four tax evasion accusations and that it was a decisive move aimed at upholding fiscal responsibility and safeguarding the economic integrity of the country.
Joined with the crypto company as second and third defendants in the suit are Tigran Gambaryan and Nadeem Anjarwalla, both senior executives of Binance currently under the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
According to report by Punch newspaper, the charges levied against Binance include non-payment of Value-Added Tax, Company Income Tax, failure to file tax returns and complicity in aiding customers to evade taxes through its platform.
It added that the Nigerian Government also accused Binance of failure to register with the FIRS for tax purposes and thereby contravening existing tax regulations within the country.
One of the counts in the lawsuit pertains to Binance’s alleged failure to collect and remit various categories of taxes to the federation as stipulated by Section 40 of the FIRS Establishment Act 2007 as amended.
Section 40 of the Act explicitly addresses the non-deduction and non-remittance of taxes, prescribing penalties and potential imprisonment for defaulting entities.
GIK/APA