A Nigerian court on Oct. 24 ordered the release on medical grounds of a U.S. citizen who had been detained for eight months, according to the U.S. Department of State.
Tigran Gambaryan—a former IRS criminal investigator and Binance’s head of financial crime compliance—was accused of money laundering by Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) earlier this year.
“This positive outcome demonstrates the strength of the U.S.–Nigeria partnership and highlights our shared commitment to working together to advance our common interests ... and the United States is committed to working closely with the government of Nigeria to address mutual concerns and prioritize the safety and well-being of our citizens.”
The court stated that it would continue the money laundering case against Binance without Gambaryan. He had been held in detention in Nigeria since late February and was charged alongside Binance with laundering more than $35 million. Both he and Binance have denied the charges.
Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, faces separate tax evasion charges that remain in place—charges the company also denies. The company was founded in China in 2017 but has since described itself as decentralized, not having a specific headquarters location while having roots in Europe, Asia, and North America.
“We have withdrawn money laundering charges against Tigran Gambaryan to allow him to get medical treatment outside the country,” said EFCC lawyer Ekele Ineinacho, according to Reuters. He added that diplomatic arrangements had also helped in securing the release without further elaborating on what they were.
In August, Gambaryan’s wife, Yuki, told reporters that his health had deteriorated in prison to the point that “it might leave permanent damage and affect his ability to walk.”
“It is a huge relief that this day has finally come. The past eight months have been a living nightmare. I wish it hadn’t taken this long ... or that his health had not declined so much, but we can now focus on healing as a family,” she said in a statement on Thursday. “I want to express my deepest gratitude to the U.S. government for their efforts in securing his release [and] thank everyone who helped us throughout this ordeal.
“The road ahead for Tigran’s recovery is going to be difficult, and I appreciate us being given the time and space to focus on that. Our children cannot wait to see their dad again.”
“I am grateful to my Nigerian colleagues and partners for the productive discussions that have resulted in this step and look forward to working closely with them on the many areas of cooperation and collaboration critical to the bilateral partnership between our two countries,” Sullivan said.
U.S. Congressman Dr. Richard McCormick (R-Ga.), representing Gambaryan’s home district, said earlier this month that Gambaryan was an upstanding citizen who had never been accused of a crime before and was previously an IRS investigator.
House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-Texas), Reps. French Hill (R-Ark.), McCormick, and Tom McClintock (R-Calif.) released a joint statement on Gambaryan’s release.
“While long overdue, we are extremely pleased that Tigran Gambaryan has finally been released from his unjust detention by the Government of Nigeria,“ they said in a statement on Thursday. ”During his detainment, Tigran was unfairly subjected to routine violations of his rights of due process, including restricted access to his counsel and U.S. consular support and inadequate health care. This treatment of an upstanding American citizen is wholly unacceptable. Our hearts go out to Tigran and his family, and we hope for an expeditious recovery from this shameful ordeal.”
Gambaryan’s trial had been postponed last week because he could not appear due to illness.
