Detained American Binance executive Tigran Gambaryan was brought into a courtroom in Abuja, Nigeria today in a wheelchair due to a herniated disc in his back. His family reported that he has been in severe pain and can hardly walk. Gambaryan’s health has been deteriorating since his detention in February. Initially under house arrest, he was later moved to the dangerous Kuje prison after a fellow detainee escaped.
Gambaryan, a former IRS agent and Binance’s head of financial crime compliance, traveled to Nigeria in February for a meeting with government officials. He was detained without explanation, charged with money laundering and tax evasion, and later accused of devaluing the country’s currency. While the tax evasion charges were dropped, he maintains his innocence.
Since being transferred to Kuje prison, Gambaryan has reportedly suffered from malaria, double pneumonia, numbness in his foot, and even collapsed in court. His wife Yuki expressed heartbreak over his deteriorating health and urged Nigerian authorities to release him on humanitarian grounds.
Despite visits from members of Congress and pleas for intervention from the Biden Administration, Gambaryan remains in prison. The State Department has been made aware of his situation, but no significant action has been taken yet.
Unless there is intervention, Gambaryan will remain in Kuje prison until October when the Nigerian courts resume after the summer break. His trial for money laundering has been adjourned to October as well.
The conditions in Kuje prison, Gambaryan’s health issues, and the lack of progress in his case have raised concerns among his family and supporters. The plea for his release on humanitarian grounds continues, emphasizing his innocence and the urgent need for his return home.