Wife of Binance Executive Appeals for U.S. Intervention

Yuki Gambaryan, the wife of Binance executive Tigran Gambaryan, has called on the U.S. State Department to declare her husband as wrongfully detained in Nigeria.

Tigran Gambaryan is suffering from severe health issues, including intense pain from a herniated disc and frequent respiratory infections, according to his wife. In a recent podcast called Designated, hosted by Yaya Fanusie, she shared her concerns about his deteriorating condition in prison.

Gambaryan, who previously worked for the U.S. Internal Revenue Service as an agent and is currently Binance’s head of financial crime compliance, was detained along with another Binance executive, Nadeem Anjarwalla, after arriving in Nigeria in February. This occurred amid allegations that Binance made illegal transaction profits in the country. Criminal charges were pressed against them on February 28, with Anjarwalla escaping custody later on March 22.

Yuki Gambaryan recounted her husband’s experience in Nigeria, explaining how their meetings turned hostile and noting that they were approached by someone demanding a secret payment in crypto. Binance CEO Richard Teng expressed concerns for the employees’ safety, leading them to leave Nigeria, but they returned in late February under assurances of safety and were subsequently detained.

In her appeal, Yuki Gambaryan stated that the U.S. government is their only hope for her husband’s release. She emphasized that she feels the U.S. has the power to resolve these issues but is struggling to stay hopeful as time passes.

Legislative Efforts

Work is underway in U.S. Congress to secure Tigran Gambaryan’s release. The U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee recently passed a resolution (H.Res. 1348) demanding that Nigeria release Gambaryan and provide him with medical care. The resolution was introduced by Republican Representatives Rich McCormick and French Hill.

The resolution requires the U.S. State Department to utilize all available means to negotiate his release. Rep. Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, expressed disappointment with Nigeria’s lack of response and stressed that the State Department is engaged in the case.

The resolution will be presented to the full House when Congress reconvenes after the elections.

Family Struggles

During the podcast, Yuki Gambaryan reminisced about the last message she received from her husband on his arrival in Abuja. Following a 24-hour silence, she was informed by the U.S. Embassy that he had been detained.

Yuki expressed the emotional difficulty of explaining the situation to their children, especially their 10-year-old daughter, who continually asks about her father’s whereabouts. She tries to explain that her husband is involved in legal matters but struggles to provide satisfactory answers. Their five-year-old son is mostly unaware but frequently misses his father and recently asked if he was on an airplane. Yuki described this moment as heartbreaking.