U.S. Urges Nigeria To Release Tigran Gambaryan: NY Times

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Julia Smith

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Julia Smith

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Julia is an experienced editor with a passion for covering a wide variety of beats. She loves all things politics and regularly covers regulatory updates on emerging technology here for Crypto News.

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Last updated:

September 13, 2024 13:59 EDT

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The U.S. is urging the Nigerian government to release detained Binance executive Tigran Gambaryan, according to a Thursday report by The New York Times.

Gambaryan has been held since February on money laundering charges, straining diplomatic relations between the two countries.

U.S. Diplomatic Pressure on Nigeria Over Tigran Gambaryan Intensifies

According to the report, two anonymous State Department officials stated that Gambaryan’s detention is a “significant factor” in the current state of U.S.-Nigeria diplomatic relations.

Both Secretary of State Anthony J. Blinken and the U.S. ambassador to Nigeria have privately advocated for Gambaryan’s release during discussions with Nigerian authorities.

The crypto compliance chief, well-known within Binance for leading regulatory efforts, was detained in February on accusations of money laundering.

His arrest has raised questions about Nigeria’s handling of the case, as well as Gambaryan’s limited decision-making power within the company.

Tigran Gambaryan’s Deteriorating Health in Nigerian Detention

The legitimacy of his arrest has been called into question due to Nigeria’s concerns about Binance’s business operations in the country.

When U.S. Representatives French Hill (R-AR) and Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) visited the detained crypto employee at Kuje prison near Abuja this past June, they found Gambaryan in poor health.

“We found him suffering from the conditions there, as he has malaria and double pneumonia, and he reports that he has lost significant weight,” Hill said in a statement at the time. “Even worse, he’s being denied access to adequate medical attention.”

Recently, Hill reacted to a disturbing video showing Gambaryan breaking down during a court hearing earlier this month. “Tigran’s condition has significantly worsened, and immediate action is needed for his release,” Hill posted to X in response to the footage.

In the video, Gambaryan is seen struggling to walk due to an untreated herniated disc, and at one point, he tearfully cried out, “Why couldn’t I use a goddamn wheelchair? This is a show. I’m a f-cking innocent person. Why are you doing this to me?”

Binance Calls for Gambaryan’s Release

Meanwhile, Binance has continued its efforts to secure the crypto compliance chief’s release on humanitarian grounds.

“We are extremely distressed by the video of Tigran in court yesterday,” a spokesperson for the crypto exchange said. “This video is just a snapshot of Tigran’s current reality. His health is rapidly declining, and we are deeply concerned about the long-term consequences of this unjust detention.”

The spokesperson continued, “Nigeria does not need to keep Tigran in order for us to settle any alleged past issues. We continue to urge the Government of Nigeria to allow Tigran to return home so we can resolve these matters and continue our engagements.”