Binance calls for US intervention as Tigran Gambaryan’s detention marks 6 months

Binance CEO Richard Teng is urging U.S. intervention as Tigran Gambaryan, an executive at the exchange, reaches six months in deteriorating conditions of Nigerian detention.

Binance CEO Richard Teng has urged U.S. authorities and international advocates to intervene as Tigran Gambaryan, a former U.S. federal agent and Binance executive, marks six months of detention in Nigeria under deteriorating conditions. In an Aug. 27 statement, Teng emphasized that Gambaryan is facing “severe pain,” resulting in his inability to walk due to a “herniated disc.”

“Despite his condition, the Nigerian government has denied him adequate medical care, including basic needs such as access to a wheelchair.”

Richard Teng, Binance CEO

Despite court orders to release Gambaryan’s medical records and demands for humane treatment, Nigerian authorities have not complied, Teng says. He also noted that this week, the detained Binance executive “was denied access to his U.S. consulate representative.”

“There is no need to imprison an innocent employee to answer for any allegations against Binance. We have settled issues in countries around the world, including the U.S., Thailand, and most recently in Brazil and India, in a reasonable, collaborative, and amicable manner with governments.”

Richard Teng, Binance CEO

Teng called on the U.S. government to use its influence to secure Gambaryan’s release on humanitarian grounds and to protest against Nigeria’s detention practices, urging the U.S. administration to designate Tigran as one of its “unlawfully detained” citizens overseas.

According to a press release from Gambaryan’s family shared with crypto.news, his legal team has been barred from visiting him in prison from July 26 to Aug. 14 and was only briefly permitted a five-minute visit on Aug. 15.

“They were allowed a brief five minute visit on Aug. 15 but have since been blocked from entering again. His legal team are therefore unable to prepare him for trial which goes against the Nigerian constitution.”

The Gambaryan family

Gambaryan, who holds American citizenship, was arrested alongside his collegue, British-Kenyan Nadeem Anjarwalla, by Nigerian law enforcement back in February. The two were captured at an Abuja airport after authorities called for Binance representatives to come to the capital city. After their arrest, all naira and peer-to-peer services on Binance in Nigeria were halted.

Anjarwalla fled the country in March using a concealed Kenyan passport. Later, reports surfaced saying Nigerian security forces were able to identify the location of the Binance representative, arresting him in Kenya at the request of the Nigerian Bureau of Interpol.