A group of American politicians have reached out to President Joe Biden and the hostage affairs unit requesting assistance in bringing home Binance employee Tigran Gambaryan, who has been detained in Nigeria for over three months on charges of money laundering and tax evasion.
In a letter dated June 4 addressed to President Biden, Secretary Antony Blinken, and Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger D. Carstens, 12 U.S. politicians emphasized that Gambaryan is being unlawfully detained by the Nigerian government and urgent action is needed to prevent the situation from deteriorating further.
The politicians have specifically requested the involvement of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs in Gambaryan’s case, as outlined in the letter shared by Congressman Michael McCaul.
According to the letter, Gambaryan is facing baseless charges of money laundering and tax evasion, which the politicians believe are part of a coercion strategy by Nigerian authorities to extort Binance.
McCaul stressed the importance of the Nigerian government releasing Gambaryan immediately, stating that he has not committed any wrongdoing and should be reunited with his family.
Gambaryan, who serves as the head of financial crime compliance at the cryptocurrency exchange, traveled to Nigeria on Feb. 26 at the invitation of the Nigerian government to address compliance issues related to Binance in the country.
After two meetings with Nigerian authorities, which started professionally but turned hostile, Gambaryan was detained. He is currently being held in Kuje Prison, known for its harsh conditions, where he is fighting for his life in a cell intended for ISIS combatants, according to the U.S. politicians.
Gambaryan has tested positive for malaria, and despite a court order for him to receive treatment at a private hospital, this has not been carried out, the politicians added.
On May 18, Gambaryan was denied bail, and