U.S. Diplomats Turn up Heat on Nigeria: Demand Gambaryan’s Freedom

• U.S. diplomats have reportedly taken up Tigran Gambaryan’s case.
• The effort has involved interactions with several levels of the Nigerian government.
• The Binance executive is again seeking bail amid worsening health.

For over half a year, Binance ‘s Chief Financial Crime Compliance Officer, Tigran Gambaryan, a U.S. citizen and renowned former IRS Special Agent, has been detained in Nigeria . Despite having no decision-making authority at the exchange, he is being held accountable for alleged offenses by his employers that led to the devaluation of the country’s currency.

Gambaryan’s predicament has garnered criticism from the cryptocurrency industry and beyond, prompting calls for his release from former prosecutors, former federal agents , and current U.S. lawmakers . High-ranking U.S. diplomats are now reportedly adding to the pressure.

Gambaryan’s Detention “a Significant Factor” in U.S.-Nigeria Relations

U.S. diplomats have reportedly taken up Tigran Gambaryan’s case, pushing for the release of the Binance executive detained in Nigeria for over six months for money laundering offenses allegedly committed by the exchange. According to a Thursday, September 12 New York Times report , citing anonymous sources in the State Department, the Binance executive’s detention has become “a significant factor” in U.S.-Nigeria relations.

The officials disclosed that U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken had raised the issue of Gambaryan’s detention with his Nigerian counterpart in May 2024, and the State Department has continued to press the matter since June 2024. 

At the same time, other diplomats, including the U.S. ambassador to Nigeria, have also reportedly raised the matter in private conversations with several levels of the Nigerian government, including the president, finance minister, attorney general, and trade minister. Officials are pressing the Nigerian government for Gambaryan’s release on humanitarian grounds. 

Despite these efforts, the U.S. has yet to classify the Binance executive as “wrongfully detained” per the 2020 Levinson Act, as demanded by lawmakers and former prosecutors who have called for action from the government. Invoking the act will signal intensified efforts to secure Gambaryan’s Release and could lead to actions like sanctions against Nigeria. State Department officials noted that the agency was still reviewing the case for “indicators of wrongfulness.”

A State Department spokesperson corroborated The New York Times’ reporting in conversation with DailyCoin.

“Since June, we have called for the release of Mr. Gambaryan on humanitarian grounds.  We will continue to call for his release in engagements with the Government of Nigeria,” the spokesperson disclosed.

The reports of U.S. government efforts to secure Gambaryan’s release come as the Binance executive’s health appears to be rapidly declining.

Binance’s Tigran Gambaryan at Risk of Permanent Damage

Concerns over Tigran Gambaryan’s health emerged in May 2024 after the Binance executive collapsed in court . These concerns have since become a major focus of the detention saga, as Gambaryan’s health has seemingly gone from bad to worse amid alleged negligence from Nigerian Correctional Service officials. 

In addition to reported bouts of malaria and pneumonia, Gambaryan has also seen a rapid deterioration in a pre-existing herniated disk condition that has left him essentially bedridden.

The Binance executive’s plight was recently put on full display in court footage that saw him pleading with an official for assistance as he struggled to move with a crutch, dragging one leg while doing his best to hop along the other.

Amid Gambaryan’s deteriorating condition, his lawyers have again pushed for bail , citing a medical report that stated that the Binance executive required immediate surgery to prevent permanent spine damage. Nigeria Federal High Court Judge Justice Emeka Nwite, however, deferred a decision on the matter to October 9, in a September 4 hearing observed by DailyCoin.

Previous efforts to secure bail for the Binance executive in May 2024 had failed after Justice Nwited deemed him a flight risk despite his travel documents being in the custody of the country’s National Security Adviser.

On the Flipside 

• Nigeria is a major U.S. ally and trade partner.
• Nigerian authorities and prosecutors have denied claims of negligence and maintained that Gambaryan’s health challenges are not beyond the scope of what the Nigerian prison system can handle.

Why This Matters

Tigran Gambaryan’s extended detention continues to put a strain on the Binance executive and his family while setting a worrying precedent for other U.S. citizens working abroad.

Read this for all the details on the Tigran Gambaryan detention saga:
Binance’s Gambaryan Still Detained After 6 Months: Where Are the Answers?

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