US Attorney Generals Ask Biden To Act On Binance Exec’s Detention In Nigeria

The US attorney generals for several states have requested US President Joe Biden to intervene in the detention of Binance executive Tigran Gimbrayan by Nigerian authorities. This development comes months after a similar approach by certain US lawmakers who cited concerns over the reported deteriorating health status of the former IRS officer.

In a recent letter addressed to Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, 18 US attorney generals expressed significant concerns over Gambaryan who has been held in Nigerian custody for over seven months. The American citizen and Binance employee, alongside his colleague Nadeem Anjarwalla, was detained by Nigerian authorities in February following a visit to the West African nation over regulatory issues with the crypto exchange.

Anjarwalla eventually escaped from Nigeria in March, while Gambrayan has been forced to remain in Nigeria undergoing trial for money laundering and tax evasion among other charges, in the representation of Binance. However, the attorney generals for Utah, Connecticut, and Kansas, among other states, have described Gambrayan’s detention as unlawful and merely serving as leverage for Nigerian authorities in the ongoing feud with the Binance exchange.

The attorneys also highlighted Gambrayan’s declining health condition where he has been prevented access to treatment for malaria, pneumonia, and a herniated disc resulting in motor deficits. They explain that the conditions under which the Binance executive is being detained could result in death as seen in the previous case of US student Otto Warmbier in North Korea. 

Considering these factors, the attorney generals have requested Biden to designate Gambrayan as a hostage under the Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act, which will enable the use of government resources and increased diplomatic pressure in achieving the speedy release of the Binance employee.

In pushing for a hostage designation, The US attorney generals also mention that Gambaryan had served the US government in multiple capacities prior to joining Binance as the Chief Financial Crime Compliance Officer. These roles include being a special agent with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and also a federal agent aiding the destruction of dark web sites such as AlphaBay and Silk Road. They urged Biden to defend the life of an American citizen and excellent officer of law by all available means.

Other attorney generals with a co-sign of this petition are from states including New Hampshire, Maine, Arkansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, US Virgin Islands, Vermont, and Virginia.