US Lawmakers Visit Detained Binance Executive in Nigeria, Point to Health Concerns

US lawmakers French Hill and Chrissy Houlahan have made a visit to Kuje Prison in Nigeria, where detained Binance executive Tigran Gambaryan is being held.

In an X post on June 20, Hill described Gambaryan’s wrongful detention in what he called a “horrible prison,” bringing attention to the health concerns Gambaryan is facing while in custody.

Despite suffering from malaria, double pneumonia, and significant weight loss, Gambaryan is being denied adequate medical care.

“We found him suffering from the conditions [at the Kuje prison]… Even worse, he’s being denied access to adequate medical attention.”

Hill Calls for Gambaryan’s Release

Hill also highlighted the irony of Gambaryan’s situation, as he is facing charges such as money laundering and tax evasion, which he has actively fought against.

Hill called for Gambaryan’s immediate humanitarian release, emphasizing that he should be allowed to return home to the United States.

Yesterday, @RepHoulahan and I visited with US citizen Tigran Gambaryan in Kuje Prison in Nigeria. We found him suffering from the conditions there, as he has malaria and double pneumonia, and he reports that he has lost significant weight. Even worse, he's being denied access to… pic.twitter.com/OKEHMXxuF4

— French Hill (@RepFrenchHill) June 20, 2024

Gambaryan, a US citizen who heads Binance’s financial crime compliance department, was apprehended alongside Nadeem Anjarwalla, Binance’s regional manager for Africa.

Anjarwalla, however, managed to escape custody on March 22.

This visit by US lawmakers is part of a growing effort by politicians and former federal agents to secure Gambaryan’s release.

Letters have been sent to the State Department advocating for his release, and his wife, Yuki Gambaryan, expressed confusion and frustration over his continued detention.

She urged the US government to intensify its efforts to bring her husband back home, stating her belief that more could be done by the State Department to secure the release of an innocent American citizen.

Meanwhile, Gambaryan’s legal troubles in Nigeria continue to escalate, as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) resumed its money laundering case against Binance and Gambaryan on June 20.

Witnesses, including Abdulkabir Abbas, a Director with Nigeria’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), were cross-examined during the session.

Abbas testified that Binance had failed to register with his office before commencing operations in the country.

Last year, the Nigerian SEC declared Binance’s operations illegal and warned the public against using the platform.

Gambaryan Cleared of Tax Charges

Notably, there was a recent court ruling on June 14 that cleared Gambaryan and Anjarwalla of tax evasion charges.

The tax invasion charges were initially filed against Gambaryan and Anjarwalla in March 2024 by the FIRS, alleging that they had failed to pay taxes on cryptocurrency transactions worth billions of naira.

Binance was accused of not paying value-added tax, company tax, and failure to file tax returns.

The Nigerian government has been cracking down on cryptocurrency trading platforms, accusing them of influencing foreign exchange rates.

The EFCC is separately prosecuting Binance and its executives over alleged money laundering and foreign exchange contravention.

The detention of the Binance executives came after the Nigerian government banned cryptocurrency channels as part of a campaign against currency speculation.

The devaluation of the Naira, with a 70% loss of value against the dollar since last year’s foreign exchange reforms, has further complicated the situation, exacerbated by a shortage of dollars locally.