President Biden Being Urged To Act And Save Tigran Gambaryan

U.S. attorneys are urging President Biden to take action regarding the detention of Binance executive Tigran Gambaryan by Nigerian authorities, highlighting concerns about his health. 18 state attorney generals sent a letter to Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressing alarm over the situation, noting that Tigran has been in custody for more than seven months.

Binance CEO Richard Teng has also demanded the immediate release of Tigran due to inhumane treatment and worsening health in Nigerian detention. Gambaryan, whose condition has deteriorated since contracting malaria in May, is reportedly being denied proper medical care.

An Alarming Situation

Gambaryan, a U.S. citizen and Binance employee, was arrested in February during a visit to Nigeria related to regulatory matters. His colleague, Nadeem Anjarwalla, managed to leave Nigeria in March, but Gambaryan remains incarcerated and faces allegations of money laundering and tax evasion, purportedly as a representative of Binance.

Attorneys general representing various states including Utah, Connecticut, and Kansas described his detention as unlawful, suggesting it serves as a tactic by Nigerian authorities to leverage their ongoing disputes with Binance.

They expressed particular worry about how Gambaryan has been rapidly deteriorating healthwise, indicating he has not received necessary treatment for malaria, pneumonia, and a herniated disc, which have led to motor issues. The letter cautions that his life may indeed be endangered, drawing parallels to the unfortunate case of U.S. student Otto Warmbier, who died following his detention in North Korea.

A Hostage Situation

In response to these issues, the attorney generals have asked Biden to officially recognize the situation as a hostage case under the Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act. This classification would enable the U.S. government to allocate additional resources and exert greater diplomatic pressure for his release.

The letter also highlights how Gambaryan had previously served the U.S. government before joining Binance, where he held significant roles, including a special agent with the IRS and a federal agent involved in dismantling infamous dark web sites such as AlphaBay and Silk Road. The attorneys argue that his commitment to law enforcement should be acknowledged and call on Biden to utilize all available measures to facilitate his safe return to the United States.