TLDR

  • Tigran Gambaryan, a former Binance executive, has been detained in a Nigerian prison since February 2024.

  • His health has severely deteriorated, with issues including a herniated disc, tonsillitis, and mobility problems.

  • Gambaryan’s legal team has been denied access to him since July 26, 2024.

  • His family is pleading for his release on humanitarian grounds for medical treatment.

  • The next court hearing is scheduled for October 11, 2024.

Tigran Gambaryan, once a high-ranking executive at cryptocurrency exchange Binance, continues to face serious health issues while detained in a Nigerian prison.

Gambaryan, who served as Binance’s head of financial crime compliance, has been held in custody since February 2024 after attending a meeting with Nigerian authorities in Abuja.

According to statements from Gambaryan’s legal team and family, his health has rapidly declined during his time in Kuje prison near Nigeria’s capital. The former U.S. federal agent now suffers from multiple medical conditions, including a herniated disc that reportedly requires specialized surgery.

His compromised mobility has forced him to take blood thinners to prevent blood clots, and he is described as being nearly bedridden and wheelchair-bound.

In addition to back problems, Gambaryan has experienced recurring throat infections and pneumonia while in detention. These issues led to the removal of his tonsils. Earlier in his incarceration, he also battled malaria and collapsed during a court appearance in May.

Gambaryan’s wife, Yuki, last saw her husband on February 24 when he left for what was meant to be a brief work trip to Nigeria. In a statement, she described the toll his absence has taken on their family, including their two children aged 10 and 5.

“My husband Tigran left our home for a work trip almost six months ago, and I have no idea when he will be back,” she said. “Now his health is in a shockingly bad condition and getting worse by the day.”

Adding to the family’s concerns, Gambaryan’s legal representatives have been barred from entering the prison to meet with their client since July 26, 2024. This apparent violation of Nigerian law has raised questions about Gambaryan’s access to fair legal representation.

The circumstances surrounding Gambaryan’s detention remain unclear. Nigerian authorities initially invited him to a meeting in Abuja in February. Following the meeting on February 26, he was required to surrender his passport and has been held in Nigerian custody since then.

Gambaryan and Binance face charges of money laundering brought by Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. Both deny these accusations. The commission alleges that Binance facilitated illicit crypto fund flows of about $35 million.

The case has drawn attention from U.S. lawmakers. In July, Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, chair of the National Intelligence Subcommittee of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, visited Gambaryan as part of a fact-finding mission. Fitzpatrick stated,

“There are still Americans, like Tigran, enduring unimaginable trauma in detention around the world and we will not rest until they are home.”

While we celebrate this victory of bringing home an American, our work is far from over. Many U.S. Citizens like Tigran Gambaryan continue to endure unimaginable trauma in detention worldwide, and I am resolved to continue my efforts of working to bring all of our wrongfully…

— Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick 🇺🇸 (@RepBrianFitz) August 10, 2024

Earlier, in June, Nigeria’s Federal Inland Revenue Service dropped tax evasion charges against Gambaryan and another Binance executive, leaving the crypto exchange as the sole defendant in that particular case.

The next court hearing in Gambaryan’s case is scheduled for October 11, 2024, following a court holiday that began on July 16. Until then, his family continues to urge the Nigerian government to release him on humanitarian grounds, allowing him to return home for necessary medical treatment.

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