According to a statement released by the White House yesterday, President Biden thanked Nigerian President Bola Tinubu for the humanitarian consideration in releasing Binance executive Tigran Gambaryan and expressed appreciation for the cooperation between the two sides in the field of illegal finance and cryptocurrencies. Gambaryan was detained for eight months, and US lawmakers had written to Biden urging him to take immediate rescue action.
(Background:
Binance executive suffering from malaria in prison, US lawmakers write to Biden to “rescue immediately” and prevent improper detention)
Table of Contents:
Biden thanks Nigerian President for releasing Binance executive
Detained for eight months, repeatedly denied bail
12 US politicians wrote to Biden
Released at the end of October
Nigerian government in February
banned
major exchanges, with a focus on Binance, accusing it of manipulating exchange rates, tax evasion, and money laundering, and forcibly detaining two Binance executives who went to Nigeria for negotiations.
One of the detained Binance executives, Nadeem Anjarwall, escaped in March, but another executive, Tigran Gambaryan, was not released until October 23 and was allowed to go to the United States for treatment.
Biden thanked the Nigerian President for releasing Gambaryan based on humanitarian considerations. According to a statement released by the White House, Biden had a phone call with Nigerian President Bola Tinubu on the 29th, and the statement stated:
In addition, the two leaders also discussed their cooperation in addressing global challenges and promoting security and prosperity. Biden particularly acknowledged the joint efforts of the two countries in the field of law enforcement, including the recently established bilateral contact group on illegal finance and cryptocurrencies, as well as cooperation in innovative technologies and reforming international organizations to reflect African voices.
Gambaryan is responsible for financial crime compliance at Binance and previously served as a special agent for the US Internal Revenue Service. While he was detained for investigation of Binance, Binance CEO Richard Teng released an article in May stating that Gambaryan was not a decision-maker or negotiator for the company, but rather an expert in financial crime and policy discussions, and he hoped that the Nigerian authorities would release Gambaryan. However, the Nigerian authorities repeatedly pushed for hearings and refused bail, claiming that he posed a flight risk.
Gambaryan was detained in the notorious Kuje prison in Nigeria, which is known for its harsh conditions. During his detention, Gambaryan was diagnosed with various medical issues, including pneumonia, malaria, and spinal problems, and the court ordered him to be sent to a private hospital for treatment, but this order has not been implemented.
In a hearing, when the judge asked Gambaryan to come forward, he was unable to stand on his own and eventually fell to the ground. After the exposure of this situation, Gambaryan’s case attracted attention and anger from international news media, US citizens, and government officials. Richard Teng said:
In addition, in early June, 12 US lawmakers (including the Chairman of the US House Committee on Foreign Affairs) wrote to President Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger D. Carstens, emphasizing that Gambaryan was still being “improperly detained” by the Nigerian government and immediate action must be taken to prevent the situation from deteriorating. The letter stated:
The letter, mainly signed by members of Congress, pointed out that Gambaryan was charged with multiple “unfounded” crimes, including money laundering and tax evasion, which were seen as a means of extortion by the Nigerian authorities against Binance.
Finally, after months of behind-the-scenes diplomatic negotiations between the United States and Nigeria, strong calls for release from the US domestic public opinion, etc., the Nigerian authorities withdrew the tax evasion charges against Anjarwalla and Gambaryan in June, and withdrew the money laundering charges in October, allowing Gambaryan to go to the United States for treatment.
The reason for Nigeria’s withdrawal of charges is that Gambaryan’s responsibilities at Binance were limited and did not involve the large-scale financial activities under investigation by the authorities.