Biden urged to intervene as Binance exec faces dire conditions in Nigerian jail

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As a researcher with a background in human rights and international law, I am deeply concerned about the detainment of Tigran Gambaryan in Nigeria and the urgent call for his release by U.S. politicians. The allegations that he is being wrongfully detained on baseless charges and subjected to inhumane conditions in prison are alarming.

A group of American politicians are calling on President Joe Biden to take action and secure the release of detained Binance executive Tigran Gambaryan.

As a researcher, I’ve come across a letter dated June 4th that bears my signature, alongside those of numerous other congress members. Notable among them is Representative Michael McCaul, who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Committee. We have collectively penned this missive and directed it towards the President, Secretary Antony Blinken, and the Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, Roger D. Carstens.

In the letter, these twelve American political figures expressed worry that Gambaryan was unfairly imprisoned by the Nigerian authorities.

“His life is at risk, and quick action is necessary to protect him and prevent any harm. We need to move fast before the situation becomes critical.”

I, as an observer, note that Gambaryan holds the position of Binance’s Head of Financial Crime Compliance. During the course of my investigation, I discovered that he traveled to Nigeria with the aim of addressing any compliance concerns specific to Binance in that region.

He has since been detained for over three months on charges of money laundering and tax evasion. 

In Nigeria’s infamous Kuje Prison, currently housing politicians and allegedly ISIS fighters, there is a call for the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs to intervene on behalf of Gambaryan.

As a researcher, I’ve come across information suggesting that Nigerian authorities have accused a Binance executive of various “unfounded” offenses. Furthermore, there are indications that this action is perceived as an attempt to extract concessions or money from Binance.

Gambaryan was taken into custody following two encounters with Nigerian officials. It’s reported that these initial interactions were business-like, but later soured and became confrontational.

In the missive it was mentioned that while in custody, Gambaryan was diagnosed with malaria. However, an order for his necessary medical treatment was disregarded.

I found that he was refused bail on the 17th of May, and he didn’t show up in court during the following hearing four days later. At that point, the court stated they were uninformed about his whereabouts.

Gambaryan’s whereabouts or medical condition.

The following day, his condition had significantly worsened, as noted by the politicians. They emphasized that he “fainted and fell to the ground” upon being requested to “approach the judge.”

The letter further stated that Gambarayan has been prevented from holding private consultations with his lawyers; this restriction includes the presence of armed guards or other Nigerian authorities during such meetings.

Binance has been making efforts to extradite Gambarayan from Nigeria for several months, but have not succeeded. On Monday, the Chief Compliance Officer of Binance stated in an interview that it is unlikely that their head of financial crime will be returned to the company in the near future. He explained that this could only happen with the assistance of the U.S. government.

“I have faith in the us government to do the right thing here.”

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2024-06-05 11:54