Recently, a group of U.S. lawmakers led by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Michael McCaul (R-Texas) made a plea to President Joe Biden to take action in the case of Tigran Gambaryan, a high-ranking executive at Binance who has been detained by Nigerian authorities for almost three months. This urgent appeal, supported by 11 other congressional leaders, emphasizes the severity of the situation and the need for immediate intervention.
A Hostage Crisis in Nigeria
The lawmakers have characterized Gambaryan’s detention as a hostage crisis, pointing to the admission by the Nigerian government in court that he is being used as leverage against Binance. Moreover, Gambaryan’s legal representation has faced significant restrictions, with meetings closely monitored by government officials and armed guards. His health has deteriorated during his time in detention, culminating in him collapsing in court and subsequently testing positive for malaria. Despite a judge’s order for proper medical treatment, the Nigerian authorities have failed to provide him with adequate healthcare.
The lawmakers firmly assert that the charges against Gambaryan are baseless and serve as a coercion tactic by the Nigerian government to extort his employer, Binance. They argue that Gambaryan’s detention falls under the wrongful detainment category outlined in the “Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act.” Additionally, they highlight Gambaryan’s U.S. citizenship, emphasizing that he is a U.S. citizen being unjustly held by the Government of Nigeria.
The Desperate Plea for Help
Gambaryan’s family has expressed grave concerns about his well-being and has underscored the urgent need for U.S. intervention in this troubling situation. Binance and Gambaryan have been accused of money laundering and tax evasion by Nigerian authorities, further complicating the already dire circumstances. Another Binance executive, Nadeem Anjarwalla, who was also detained, managed to escape, leaving Gambaryan isolated in a precarious position.
The Troubling Sequence of Events
Gambaryan’s trip to Nigeria on February 26, initially meant for high-level discussions regarding Binance’s compliance issues at the invitation of the Nigerian government, took a dark turn. Despite the professional nature of the interactions at the beginning, things quickly escalated, resulting in Gambaryan’s forcible detention. He was confined by armed guards, had his passport seized, and was moved to a government-owned residence known as the “Guest House.” For days, he was kept incommunicado, unable to contact his family, lawyers, or U.S. officials.
Gambaryan’s detention started with a court order that expired on March 12, but the Nigerian authorities continued to hold him without a legal basis until April 5. At that point, he was charged with multiple crimes as a stand-in for his employer, Binance, and subsequently transferred to Kuje Prison, notorious for its harsh and inhumane conditions. As a U.S. citizen and a former IRS special agent who played a pivotal role in cyber investigations leading to the seizure of significant illicit funds, Gambaryan now finds himself in a dire situation, awaiting help from his government.
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