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

Some politicians in the US came together and called on President Joe Biden to make efforts to bring back detained Binance executive Tigran Gambaryan.

The June 4 letter was signed mostly by members of Congress, including House Foreign Affairs Speaker Rep. Michael McCaul. This document was delivered to the President along with President Antony Blinken and Presidential Ambassador for Hostage Affairs Roger D. Carstens.

In the letter, 12 US politicians expressed concern about Gambaryan’s “unfair detention” by the Nigerian government.

“We fear for his life. Immediate action is essential to ensure his safety and save his life. We must act quickly before it is too late,” lawmakers wrote.

Gambaryan serves as Binance’s chief financial crime compliance officer. He was visiting Nigeria to resolve Binance’s compliance issues.

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

Currently held in Nigeria’s “infamous” Kuje Prison “designed to hold ISIS fighters”, politicians are pressuring the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs to look into Gambaryan’s case.

Lawmakers believe Nigerian authorities have accused the Binance executive of various “baseless” crimes. They also see this move as an effort to blackmail Binance.

Gambaryan was detained after two meetings with Nigerian authorities. Allegedly, the meetings started professionally but turned hostile.

The letter also stated that Gambaryan tested positive for malaria during his detention and that the court order to provide him with appropriate medical care was not complied with.

He was also denied bail on May 17 and did not appear in court at the meeting held four days later. At the time, the court claimed that it was not aware of this.

Gambaryan’s whereabouts or medical condition.

He appeared the next day but his health had visibly deteriorated, the politicians stressed, adding that he “collapsed” when asked to “come forward by the judge.”

Gambarayan was also denied access to legal counsel without armed guards or other Nigerian officials, the letter said.

Binance has been trying to remove Gambarayan from Nigeria in recent months, but to no avail. Binance’s Chief Compliance Officer said in an interview on Monday that the company has no hope of cracking down on financial crimes in the short term.

He claimed that this could only be possible with the intervention of the US government.

“I believe the U.S. government will do the right thing here.”