US lawmakers urge the White House to take action and help a Binance employee who has been held captive in Nigeria since February.
Binance Head of Financial Crime Compliance Tigran Gambaryan was detained in Nigeria following his arrival for meetings with government officials regarding the exchange’s compliance issues.
In March, the Nigerian government filed charges against Binance, Gambaryan and another executive, Nadeem Anjarwalla, amid allegations that the world’s largest crypto exchange is behind the collapse of the Naira, the country’s local currency.
In a letter addressed to US President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Special Presidential Envoy Roger Carstens, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX), Representative Rich McCormick (R-GA) and fourteen other Republican representatives say that Gambaryan is wrongfully detained by a foreign government.
“It is crucial to emphasize that the charges against Mr. Gambaryan are baseless and constitute a coercion tactic by the Nigerian government to extort his employer, Binance.”
The legislators say that Gambaryan, a former Internal Revenue Service (IRS) agent, is facing excessive and harsh treatment in his detainment. They say that recent developments in the case are deeply disturbing after the Binance executive contracted malaria in prison.
“When he requested hospital treatment, the prison officials declined his request. It was not until Mr. Gambaryan collapsed in court that the judge was compelled to order that he be sent to a private hospital for proper treatment. However, as of June 4, the prison has not fully complied with the court order and has not ensured Mr. Gambaryan has received adequate health care.”
The lawmakers ask for the urgent transfer of Gambaryan’s case to the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, which takes charge of securing the freedom of Americans who are wrongfully detained or taken hostage abroad.
“Mr. Gambaryan’s health and well-being are in danger, and we fear for his life. Immediate action is essential to ensure his safety and preserve his life. We must act swiftly before it is too late.”
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