NEW YORK — Binance CEO Richard Teng urged the Nigerian government to release Tigran Gambaryan, an American employee of the world's largest crypto exchange who has been detained in Nigeria since February.
"Tigran has been unjustly held for close to half a year now," Teng told CoinDesk during a Wednesday interview in New York. "He needs medical treatment before his conditions become permanent."
Gambaryan, Binance's head of financial crime compliance, was detained in Abuja six months ago, shortly after voluntarily traveling to Nigeria's capital city at the government's invitation. At first, Gambaryan and another executive, British-Kenyan national Nadeem Anjarwalla, were held under house arrest without explanation.
But after Anjarwalla, Binance's regional manager for Africa, escaped custody, Gambaryan was moved to the notorious Kuje prison and charged with money laundering and tax evasion. The BBC reported in March that the Nigerian government requested nearly $10 billion from Binance to secure his release. Nigerian officials have also accused Binance, without evidence, of tanking the value of the naira.
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The tax evasion charges against Gambaryan were later dropped, but he is currently being prosecuted for money laundering in a trial that began in June. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Since his arrest, Gambaryan's health has rapidly deteriorated. He is believed to have contracted malaria, which, without receiving proper medical treatment, has led to subsequent infections including double pneumonia and a tonsil infection. According to a spokesperson for his family, Gambaryan has also developed complications from a herniated disc in his back, which has left him in excruciating pain and unable to walk. He has appeared in court in a wheelchair and has collapsed at least once.
Reports from Gambaryan's family suggest he has not only been denied adequate medical treatment, but also that Kuje prison authorities refuse to release his medical records despite court orders to do so. Gambaryan has also reportedly been denied sufficient access to his lawyers.
"Our priority is really to get him home safely to his family and to his friends," Teng said.
Teng stressed that Binance has been committed to resolving its issues with regulators around the world, most recently in India and Brazil.
"We have been working collaboratively with global regulators around the world to resolve issues," Teng said. "We would look forward to collaborating with the Nigerian government. They don't need to hold Tigran."
Gambaryan's unjust detention has attracted the attention of many in the crypto industry, as well as former federal prosecutors and current members of Congress who have called on U.S. President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger D. Carstens to treat Gambaryan's case as a hostage situation and bring him back to the U.S.
The U.S. government has made no public statement on Gambaryan's situation.
Kevin Reynolds, Ben Schiller, Margaux Nijkerk, Jennifer Sanasie and Mel Montanez contributed reporting.
