The U.S. government is ramping up efforts to secure the release of Binance executive Tigran Gambaryan, a former U.S. law enforcement officer detained in Nigeria since February 2024. Gambaryan, in Nigeria for meetings related to Binance’s operations, is reportedly facing severe health issues and inadequate medical care.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, with support from Ambassador Richard M. Mills Jr., has pressed Nigerian authorities on the matter, including engaging President Tinubu, the finance minister, and other officials. This follows earlier intervention from U.S. lawmakers, with a June letter from House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul urging President Biden to classify Gambaryan as “wrongfully detained.”
Gambaryan, 40, has protested his treatment in a video, sparking concerns about his health. Nigerian authorities initially charged him and Binance with tax evasion and money laundering, accusing the company of facilitating transfers that harmed the naira. The tax charges have since been dropped.
