More than 100 former federal prosecutors and agents from the United States have joined forces to urge the U.S. Department of State to take action in securing the release of Tigran Gambaryan, the head of financial crimes and compliance at Binance, who is currently in custody in Nigeria.
A letter dated June 6, addressed to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, expressed disappointment in the lack of effort by the U.S. government so far and warned of serious consequences if action is not taken promptly.
The group of former government officials praised Gambaryan for his ten years of service as a Special Agent with the IRS, highlighting his dedication to upholding the rule of law. They recounted the various high-profile cases he had worked on, including those involving child pornography, terrorism financing, identity theft, and the Silk Road public corruption cases.
According to the letter, Gambaryan, described as a “mid-tier” executive, is facing false charges of money laundering and tax evasion, for which he is innocent. The group emphasized that his position at Binance should not make him accountable for the company’s actions.
In January, Gambaryan and other Binance employees visited Nigeria for discussions on financial compliance with local officials. Following the meeting, Nigerian officials demanded a significant payment to address compliance issues related to Binance. Concerned for their safety, Gambaryan and his colleagues left the country. However, Gambaryan was summoned back a month later, had his passport confiscated, and was subsequently arrested.
In February, the Nigerian government detained Gambaryan and Nadeem Anjarwalla on suspicion of money laundering and tax evasion. While Anjarwalla managed to evade custody and flee to Kenya, Gambaryan remained in detention at the Kuje correctional center in Abuja, Nigeria.
The letter concluded by stating that Gambaryan’s situation is unjust and called for urgent action to secure his release.