A group of sixteen Republican lawmakers, including House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-Texas), has called on President Joe Biden to secure the release of Tigran Gambaryan, a Binance executive and U.S. citizen who has been detained in Nigeria for nearly three months.
The congressmen urged the administration to treat Gambaryan’s detention as a hostage situation and to act swiftly to ensure his safe return to the United States.
In a letter addressed to President Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger D. Carstens, the lawmakers emphasised the situation’s urgency. “We fear for his life. Immediate action is essential to ensure his safety and preserve his life. We must act swiftly before it is too late,” they wrote.
Gambaryan, who serves as Binance’s head of compliance, was detained by Nigerian authorities alongside another company executive, Nadeem Anjarwalla. The executives were reportedly invited to Nigeria to address a dispute involving the cryptocurrency exchange.
While Anjarwalla was able to escape, Gambaryan remains in custody and is facing charges of money laundering and tax evasion.
Concerns about Gambaryan’s health intensified following reports from his family that he is ill and possibly suffering from malaria.
These fears were exacerbated when Gambaryan collapsed in court on May 24. A Nigerian Federal High Court in Abuja adjourned its money laundering trial against two Binance executives to June 20 due to the collapse incident and for Gambaryan‘s healthcare purposes.
The lawmakers’ appeal to President Biden to refer the case to the office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs underscores the gravity with which they view the situation.
The situation has drawn significant attention given Gambaryan’s prominent role at Binance, one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges, and the serious charges against him.
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