U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee Acts on Gambaryan’s Detention

The U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee has passed a resolution demanding the Nigerian government to immediately release Binance executive Tigran Gambaryan due to his deteriorating health in prison.

Gambaryan, previously an agent for the U.S. Internal Revenue Service and Binance’s head of financial crime compliance, was detained alongside another Binance executive, Nadeem Anjarwalla, upon their arrival in Nigeria in February. This occurred amid accusations of illegal transaction profits made by Binance locally. Criminal charges were filed against them on February 28, and Anjarwalla later escaped custody on March 22.

Gambaryan’s family reports that his health is declining rapidly. He is suffering from a herniated disk, pneumonia, and is “mostly bedridden.”

H.Res. 1348 was introduced by Republican Representatives Rich McCormick and French Hill in July and was passed by a voice vote during a hearing on Tuesday. The resolution demands Gambaryan’s release and calls for him to receive “unrestricted medical care.” It also urges the U.S. State Department to utilize all means available to secure his release and formally declare him as being “wrongfully detained.”

Rep. McCormick stated, “Tigran is suffering, not to mention his wife and two young children waiting at home for his return. This is no way for an American citizen to be treated by the custody of a foreign government, especially one that’s supposed to be our ally and partner in the region.”

Rep. Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the committee, mentioned that the U.S. government has been in contact with the Nigerian government regarding Gambaryan’s release and expressed disappointment at the lack of response from Nigeria.

“I know that the State Department is fully engaged in Mr. Gambaryan’s case and they are weighing the facts according to their process,” said Meeks in support of the resolution. “But regardless of how that process plays out, we must continue to press the Nigerian government.”