KEY POINTS
- Gambaryan's detention in Nigeria was marked by health issues and alleged poor conditions that the country denied
- Two lawmakers confirmed in June that Gambaryan's health was going downhill while in Nigerian custody
- A group of House Representatives urged Biden in June to act fast in getting the Binance executive freed
- The #FreeTigran campaign also helped pile more pressure on the Nigerian government since February
U.S. President Joe Biden called Nigerian President Bola Tinubu Tuesday to thank him for the "humanitarian" release of Binance's chief compliance officer Tigran Gambaryan, who had been detained in the country since late February over the cryptocurrency exchange giant's alleged violations of Nigerian law.
Since Gambaryan has yet to make an official statement about his release, questions have emerged about what role the White House played in getting the former Internal Revenue Service (IRS) agent out of Nigerian custody.
Earlier, I spoke with President Tinubu of Nigeria to express my condolences on the floods impacting his country and my appreciation for his leadership in securing the humanitarian release of Tigran Gambaryan.
— President Biden (@POTUS) October 29, 2024
We also spoke about the value of our partnership. pic.twitter.com/tsLGG0QLnf
Gambaryan's Arduous Road to Freedom
The compliance expert traveled to Nigeria in February alongside Binance's regional manager for Africa Nadeem Anjarwalla, to discuss the crypto exchange with Nigerian leaders.
The two were taken into custody, with Gambaryan's family revealing that the detention was unlawful. Anjarwalla escaped custody weeks later and reportedly fled to Kenya where he was reportedly arrested in April. Details about his extradition case are scant.
Gambaryan, on the other hand, remained in detention since February and suffered multiple health issues, including a severe throat infection. In June, Representatives French Hill, R-Ark., and Chriss Houlahan, D-Penn., visited Gambaryan at the Kuje Prison.
Hill revealed that the Binance executive suffered from the poor conditions in the jail, leading to Gambaryan's contraction of double pneumonia and malaria. Nigeria denied that Gambaryan was suffering health issues from the poor treatment he received in detention.
Earlier in September, a video of Gambaryan asking a Nigerian prison guard for assistance to walk to court went viral. The prison guard rejected Gambaryan's pleas, drawing outrage from the crypto community.
I am dedicating my page today for ##freeTigran . The gruesome abuse of his human right is just out of hand. Cryptocurrency isn’t a crime in Nigeria. Why are they holding him? @binance @_RichardTeng #freeTigran pic.twitter.com/lhNDGlJxci
— Viral Hub Central (@viralhubHQ) September 3, 2024
Gambaryan was released from Nigerian custody last week after charges against him were dropped. However, the investigation against Binance will push through.
Binance CEO Richard Teng confirmed Gambaryan's release, praising the executive for his "immense strength" and "resilience in the face of such severe adversity." He thanked the people who helped toward his colleague's freedom.
We are deeply relieved and grateful that Tigran Gambaryan has finally been released after enduring nearly eight months of detention in Nigeria. Throughout this difficult period, Tigran has shown immense strength, and we commend his resilience in the face of such severe adversity.…
— Richard Teng (@_RichardTeng) October 24, 2024
The U.S. government's role in Gambaryan's road to freedom is unclear, but specific groups piled pressured on the Nigerian government since the Binance executive was detained.
The Unsung Heroes in Gambaryan's Fight for Liberty
In June, sixteen members of the House of Representatives wrote a letter to Biden, urging him to transfer Gambaryan's case to the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, which coordinates efforts on overseas hostage-related matters.
The lawmakers argued that the Binance executive was being "wrongfully detained" in Nigeria and his prison time was marked by "excessive and harsh treatment." They said the Biden administration should move fast to get Gambaryan freed.
Also in June, a group of ex-prosecutors and former federal agents (over 100 of them) sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, urging him to help Gambaryan. They said he was "effectively held hostage in deplorable" conditions in the Nigerian prison.
By September, Rep. Hill and Rep. Rich McCormick, R-Ga., introduced a House resolution urging the Nigerian government to immediately free Gambaryan. They noted in the resolution how the Binance compliance chief worked for the IRS for more than a decade on high-profile cases and helped seize more than $4 billion on behalf of the U.S. government.
Thank you to @RepMcCormick and @RepFrenchHill and 41 additional House sponsors for leading the Resolution urging the Nigerian government to immediately #FreeTigran
— Cody Carbone (@CodyCarboneDC) September 27, 2024
Both chambers should immediately pass this Resolution and continue pressure to ensure Tigran's safe release pic.twitter.com/dOGSzN3dm2
The real pressure campaign on Nigeria came from the former federal agent's family, friends, former colleagues in the federal government, and the crypto community that spread news of his story across social media through the #FreeTigran campaign.
It remains to be seen whether Gambaryan will soon provide a more detailed account of his experiences in Nigerian custody. Teng said Binance is currently focused on helping Gambaryan get his good health back.
