A coalition of eighteen state attorneys general has urged President Joe Biden to assist in securing the release of Binance CEO Tigran Gambaryan, detained in Nigeria since February 2024. In a letter dated October 18, the attorneys requested that Biden classify Tigran Gambaryan as a captive under the Robert Levinson captive Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act. This title would boost diplomatic initiatives to win his release.
Emphasizing Gambaryan’s poor health, the lawyers voiced serious worries regarding the conditions of his incarceration. His absence from an October 18 planned court session due to sickness has only heightened these issues. The rescheduling of the hearing to October 25 raises questions about the severity of his illness.
Letter writer Attorney General John Formella claims that Gambaryan’s detention without formal charges violates his rights and seriously jeopardizes his well-being. The lawyers contend that a quick response is required to guarantee his release and get him home for treatment.
Former IRS officer Gambaryan moved to Binance and had visited Nigeria to answer questions about the company’s participation in regional financial markets. Upon his arrival, Binance’s activities in the nation allegedly led to his detention for financial offenses involving $34 million. However, many U.S. politicians, such as Representative Rich McCormick, assert that the Nigerian government unlawfully arrested Gambaryan and used his detention to extract money from the bitcoin exchange.
In July, McCormick further complicated the situation by presenting a resolution to Congress, requesting the classification of Gambaryan’s incarceration as a hostage scenario. Despite persistent diplomatic efforts, no resolution has emerged, and concerns about his treatment have intensified.
A September video shows Gambaryan straining to walk while jail officials refused him a wheelchair. Binance CEO Richard Teng became infuriated by this, denouncing the “inhuman” treatment and demanding his immediate release to reunite with his family and receive appropriate therapy.
Emphasizing that Gambaryan’s arrest without formal charges breaches his basic rights and seriously compromises his health, the attorneys general are advocating immediate action. They are calling for the American government to use diplomatic pressure on Nigeria to securely get him home.
