Nigerian Court Drops Charges, Frees Binance Executive

A Nigerian court has dropped charges and authorized the release of Tigran Gambaryan. A Binance executive who had been detained in the country since February. Gambaryan, the former head of financial crime compliance at Binance and an ex-IRS agent, was held for over eight months after traveling to Nigeria to negotiate the ban of several crypto trading sites.

According to a report from Bloomberg, the case was discontinued due to Gambaryan’s deteriorating health. Which had worsened during his detention. He reportedly suffered from malaria, a chest infection, and a herniated disc that restricted his mobility. Despite ongoing health concerns, Nigerian officials had repeatedly denied that his condition was severe.

Detention and Health Decline

Gambaryan was taken into custody after flying to Nigeria in February to engage with authorities on crypto-related matters. His passport was confiscated, and he was detained alongside Binance’s regional manager for Africa, Nadeem Anjarwalla. Who managed to escape and flee the country within a month. Gambaryan, however, remained in custody, and his health started to decline.

Over the months, Gambaryan’s health reportedly worsened due to inadequate medical treatment. Prompting concerns from both his family and U.S. government officials. U.S. Congressman French Hill visited Gambaryan in July and described his health as “deteriorating,” while a family spokesperson called his condition “shockingly bad.”

Legal Battle and Court Hearings

Despite his declining health, Gambaryan was denied bail on medical grounds just two weeks ago. His legal team argued that he required specialized surgery for his herniated disc, which was not being provided in Nigeria. His condition caused him to collapse during a court hearing, and his trial was postponed because he was unable to stand or walk without assistance.

Gambaryan’s next hearing had been set for October 25, but the charges were dropped, sparing him further court appearances. The U.S. government had fought for his release, with some officials calling for Gambaryan to be classified as “wrongfully detained” under the same act that led to the release of WNBA star Brittney Griner from Russia.

Political Response

Congressman Rich McCormick, Gambaryan’s local representative in Georgia, criticized the slow response to the case, attributing it to a combination of crypto-related “laziness” and what he called President Biden’s “soft” international policy.

After eight months of detention and worsening health conditions, Gambaryan is now free, though the circumstances of his release have reignited debate over the U.S. government’s handling of such cases.