Sixteen members of the United States House of Representatives have appealed to President Joe Biden, urging him to intervene and secure the release of Tigran Gambaryan, a detained Binance executive, from Nigeria and bring him back to the United States.
Gambaryan was arrested by the Federal Government in February and initially held at a guest house. Formal charges were later filed against him and Binance in an Abuja court in April. The charges include non-payment of value-added tax and corporate income tax, as well as complicity in aiding customers to evade taxes through the Binance platform.
In a letter published by Fox Business correspondent Eleanor Terrett, the Congress members expressed their urgent request for the transfer of Gambaryan’s case to the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs. They emphasized that Gambaryan is a “U.S. citizen wrongfully detained by a foreign government” and highlighted the excessive and harsh treatment he has endured during his detention.
This development highlights the coordination efforts of the U.S. office in handling overseas hostage-related matters.
The lawmakers expressed concern for Gambaryan’s health and well-being, fearing for his life. They stressed the need for immediate action to ensure his safety and preserve his life.
The group of House lawmakers, including Rep. Michael T. McCaul, R-Texas, Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, reiterated that Gambaryan, as Binance’s chief of financial compliance, has been wrongfully detained since late February after agreeing to discuss the crypto giant’s business in Nigeria at the government’s request.
According to the lawmakers, the Nigerian government has taken Gambaryan hostage, and they seek their government’s assistance in securing his release.
It is crucial to act swiftly before it becomes too late.
See full statement:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Binance Will Face All Due Process On Charges Of Severe Financial Crime – FG
Against the backdrop of continuing interest in the ongoing trial of rogue online platform, Binance, and one of its Chief Executives, who illegally trade in cryptocurrency in Nigeria, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has said due processes are being applied in all stages of the trial by the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“At all stages, due process has been followed, and prosecutors are confident of their case, based on the facts and evidence gathered. Binance will have every opportunity to defend itself in court against these severe charges of financial crimes against the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The next hearing is on June 20, 2024,” Idris said.
The Minister explained that Binance, the defendant, has received consular access and all due care, following normal diplomatic protocols and the rule of law, adding that the judge in the case has sufficiently posited that bail was denied because of the flight risk, after a co-accused, now the subject of an Interpol warrant, illegally absconded.
It would be recalled that Binance had a turnover in Nigeria of over US$20 billion in 2023 alone, far above the federal budget for health and education, fueling currency speculation and the cost-of-living crisis. In addition, it is not registered in Nigeria and neither has it ever paid any taxes within the Nigerian jurisdiction, having all the while operated without oversight or any of the normal guard rails to flag criminal activity.
Idris said it is important that Binance is prefaced as an entity whose representatives have been variously imprisoned, fined, sanctioned, and banned in North America, Europe, and Asia, in recent years.
“Changpeng Zhao, the billionaire co-founder and former CEO of Binance is currently serving a four-month prison sentence in the United States after being found guilty of money laundering, while Binance has openly accepted its role in facilitating terrorism, corruption, sanctions busting, and in aiding and abetting paedophile gangs.
“Law enforcement agencies believe Binance operations in Nigeria are part of a broader international pattern. It will be for the courts here, as in other jurisdictions, to hold the company and its executives accountable,” Idris said.
Rabiu Ibrahim
Special Assistant (Media) to the Minister of Information and National Orientation.
June 5, 2024
