US politicians urge Biden to bring Binance executives back from Nigeria

Author: Brayden Lindrea, CoinTelegraph; Compiler: Tao Zhu, Golden Finance

Several US politicians have reportedly asked President Joe Biden and the Hostage Affairs Department to find a way to bring home Binance employee Tigran Gambarian, who has been held in Nigeria for more than three months on charges of money laundering and tax evasion.

In a letter to President Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger D. Carstens on June 4, 12 US politicians stressed that Gambarian remains "wrongfully detained" by the Nigerian government and that action must be taken before the situation deteriorates.

"We fear for his life. Immediate action must be taken to ensure his safety and save his life. We must act quickly before it is too late."

The letter states that US politicians particularly want the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs to handle Gambarian's case. Fox Business reporter Eleanor Terrett shared the letter on X.

The letter, signed primarily by members of Congress,states that Gambarian has been accused of several "baseless" crimes, including money laundering and tax evasion, which they believe are part of a coercive tactic by Nigerian authorities to extort Binance.

Source: Eleanor Terrett

Gambarian, who serves as the head of financial crime compliance at the cryptocurrency exchange, traveled to Nigeria on February 26 after the Nigerian government invited him to address Binance’s compliance issues in the country.

However, Nigerian authorities detained Gambarian after two meetings that allegedly started out professional and later became increasingly hostile.

The Binance executive is currently being held in Nigeria’s “notorious” Kuje prison, which is known for its harsh conditions. US politicians said he had been "fighting for his life".

US politicians said Gambarian had since been diagnosed with malaria and the court ordered him to be sent to a private hospital for private treatment, but the court did not comply.

On May 18, Gambarian was denied bail. Four days later, on May 22, Gambarian failed to appear for a scheduled court hearing. The court, prosecutors and defense team were all unaware of his whereabouts or condition.

US politicians said Gambarian was present when court resumed the next day. But they said his physical condition had deteriorated significantly.

"When the judge asked Mr. Gambarian to come forward, he was unable to stand on his own and eventually fell to the ground."

US politicians also said Gambarian was not allowed to meet with his legal team without the presence of Nigerian authorities and armed guards.

Before joining Binance, Gambarian was a federal agent and worked for the Internal Revenue Service for a decade.