President Joe Biden of the United States engaged in a conversation with President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria, expressing his gratitude for the release of Binance’s head of financial crime compliance on humanitarian grounds.
As per a notice from the White House on October 29, President Biden had a phone call with President Tinubu, during which he thanked the Nigerian leader for his assistance in securing the release of Tigran Gambaryan, an American citizen and former US law enforcement official, on humanitarian grounds.
Gambaryan, who had been in the custody of Nigerian authorities for approximately eight months, was permitted to leave the country on October 23.
Gambaryan’s detention and repeated denial of bail
Nigerian authorities apprehended Gambaryan and his colleague Nadeem Anjarwalla on February 26 after they arrived in Abuja, the capital city, to discuss Binance’s operations and reports of suspicious transactions at the exchange.
Reports indicate that Anjarwalla managed to escape custody in March and fled to Kenya, while Gambaryan chose to remain and face charges of tax evasion and money laundering.
During his time in Kuje Prison, Gambaryan suffered from various health issues, including pneumonia, malaria, and spinal problems, as reported by a family spokesperson. Despite appeals, authorities consistently postponed hearings and refused to grant bail to the Binance executive, citing concerns about him fleeing.
Gambaryan, a former IRS special agent, received significant attention from global media outlets and government officials, with many suggesting that the allegations were targeted at Binance rather than its representatives. In September, a video emerged online showing Gambaryan struggling to walk to court, leading to widespread outrage, including from Binance CEO Richard Teng.
Teng expressed his dissatisfaction with the treatment of Gambaryan in a post on X on September 3, stating, “This inhumane treatment of Tigran must come to an end. He should be allowed to return home for medical treatment and be with his family.”
In June, Nigerian authorities dropped the charges of tax evasion against Anjarwalla and Gambaryan, and in October, the charges of money laundering were also dropped. A spokesperson for Gambaryan’s family confirmed that he left the country within 24 hours of the final charges being dismissed to seek medical treatment in the United States.