Tigran Gambaryan, a high-ranking financial crime compliance official at Binance Holdings Ltd., has returned to the United States after being released from a Nigerian prison. His release followed a concerted effort by both current and former government officials, members of Congress, and state attorneys general who petitioned the Biden Administration for intervention.
President Joe Biden expressed appreciation to Nigerian President Bola Tinubu for facilitating Gambaryan’s release. Although it remains uncertain how prioritized the issue was by the White House, weeks before, Nigerian authorities had dropped charges of money laundering against Gambaryan, granting him a humanitarian release to seek medical care for health issues that had worsened during his imprisonment.
Gambaryan, who holds U.S. citizenship and is a former IRS agent, was in Nigeria representing his employer when he was arrested and charged with money laundering and tax evasion. He spent eight months in Kuje prison. However, Nigerian officials have indicated they intend to pursue these charges against Binance itself, which has denied any wrongdoing.
He has yet to provide an official statement to the media, but in communications with FOX Business through direct messages, Gambaryan has indicated his primary focus is on reuniting with his family and managing health challenges. During his detention, Gambaryan suffered from malaria, pneumonia, and complications from a herniated disc that necessitated the use of a wheelchair.
The situation recently gained the attention of several state attorneys general, including Utah AG Sean Reyes and New York AG Letitia James, who, alongside other AGs, signed a bipartisan letter urging the U.S. government to classify Gambaryan as a hostage under the Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act. This 2019 law, named after an FBI agent who vanished in Iran, prioritizes hostages and their families in U.S. government diplomatic efforts.
Reyes described Gambaryan’s detention by Nigerian authorities as unlawful and highlighted the humanitarian concern and patriotic duty to secure his release. A similar appeal was made by former federal agents and DOJ prosecutors, some of whom had past work relationships with Gambaryan, as well as several members of Congress who advocated for his return.
In Congress, a resolution was introduced by Republican Representatives Rich McCormick and French Hill, both of whom worked across the aisle to urge Nigeria to release Gambaryan. This resolution received backing from a significant number of bipartisan lawmakers. Former Florida Congressman Connie Mack IV, noted for his involvement in similar advocacy efforts for detained Americans, contributed to these legislative efforts to influence the Biden Administration’s actions regarding Gambaryan’s situation.