Detained Binance Executive Cries Out Over Mistreatment From The Nigerian Government

Binance executive Tigran Gambaryan, detained in Nigeria since February, has raised serious concerns about his treatment by Nigerian authorities.

Binance Executive Health Deteriorates

The situation escalated further on Monday when Gambaryan was seen limping into an Abuja courtroom on crutches, denied a wheelchair by prison authorities. A video shared on X shows him struggling visibly, clutching a prison guard for support, and voicing his frustration over his treatment.

Another video also surfaced online, showing Gambaryan on crutches and lamenting that prison staff were allegedly following government orders and were refusing to assist him. “This is f*** up, he was told not to help me. This is an instruction from the government. It is a show, I am an innocent person,” he cried out.

Since his arrest, Gambaryan’s health has reportedly deteriorated. His team claims he has collapsed in court and is suffering from a herniated disc causing immobility. They also reported that he has experienced multiple bouts of malaria. Despite this, the Abuja court denied his request for bail in May, citing flight risk concerns.

Arrests and Allegations

Gambaryan, a former IRS agent and the head of financial crime compliance at Binance, and his colleague Nadeem Anjarwalla were arrested upon their arrival in Nigeria on February 28th.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) accused Binance of laundering over $35 million and manipulating the forex market through its platform. Nadeem Anjarwalla later escaped, fleeing to Kenya under surprising circumstances.

Nigeria’s tax authority alleged that the company had not registered for remittance purposes, deeming them guilty of tax evasion. The government is also pursuing data on prominent Binance users within the country.

Legal Battle and International Scrutiny

Gambaryan’s lawyer, Mark Mordi, filed for bail on August 28, 2024. However, the EFCC counsel, Ekene Iheanacho, countered the application, claiming Gambaryan’s health challenges weren’t severe.

The incident has drawn criticism from human rights groups and sparked international scrutiny over Nigeria’s handling of foreign detainees. The US government has remained particularly silent about Gambaryan’s arrest and is yet to issue a formal statement regarding his situation. While the State Department acknowledged reports of his detention in March, it has not commented further. The White House has referred inquiries to the State Department.

Many have criticized Gambaryan’s arrest and continued detention, calling them an unacceptable abuse of human rights. Binance’s new CEO, Richard Teng, has condemned the Nigerian government for its harsh treatment of Tigran Gambaryan and called for his immediate release and continued negotiations.