US lawmakers have urged President Joe Biden to secure the release of Binance executive Tigran Gambaryan, who has been detained in Nigeria since February. Gambaryan, who has contracted malaria, is reportedly being denied adequate medical treatment by Nigerian prison officials. Sixteen Republican congressmen, including House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, have written to Biden, calling on him to treat Gambaryan’s situation as a ‘hostage’ case and intervene immediately.
In their June 4 letter, the lawmakers argued that Gambaryan was wrongfully detained on several “baseless” charges by the Nigerian government. They emphasized the urgency of the situation, expressing fears for Gambaryan’s life and urging swift action from Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger D. Carstens.
Gambaryan, along with Binance’s Regional Manager Nadeem Anjarwalla, was detained by the Nigerian government on allegations of money laundering and tax evasion. While Anjarwalla, a British citizen, managed to escape but was later re-arrested by Interpol in Kenya, Gambaryan’s bail request was denied by the Federal High Court in Abuja in May, citing him as a flight risk.