State Attorneys General Urge Biden to Declare Binance Compliance Officer a Hostage of the Nigerian Government

A total of 18 state attorneys general, including New York Attorney General Leticia James, urged President Joe Biden to declare Binance compliance officer Tigran

A group of 18 state attorneys general, led by New York Attorney General Leticia James, have urged President Joe Biden to declare Binance compliance officer Tigran Gambaryan a hostage of the Nigerian government in a letter on Friday. Gambaryan, a U.S. citizen, is also a former law enforcement officer, having served as a Special Agent with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Gambaryan has been detained in Nigeria since February 2024. The attorneys general “expressed grave concern for the health and well-being” of Gambaryan, who is being held “unlawfully,” under “potentially life-threatening circumstances,” the letter stated.

Designating Gambaryan as a hostage under the Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act would unlock resources that could expedite the process of his recovery. Gambaryan’s return will be overseen by the Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell, which assesses and tracks illegal detainment of U.S. nationals.

The attorneys general believe that declaring Gambaryan a hostage would also “apply additional diplomatic pressure to ensure his immediate release.”

The main concern of the attorneys general is the deteriorating health of Gambaryan. According to the letter, Gambaryan’s life is in “immediate danger.” Gambaryan has been denied treatment for malaria and pneumonia during his imprisonment, and his “untreated herniated disc has left him immobile.”

The attorneys general believe that unless there is swift action, Gambaryan’s detention could turn into a “tragedy.”

Arrested without cause

The attorneys general claim that Gambaryan was illegally detained without proper cause so that he could be used as leverage in the Nigerian government’s dispute with Binance. The letter stated:

“This blatant misuse of power is nothing less than extortion, and it must be met with the full weight of the U.S. Government’s influence, particularly given America’s financial and political support of the current political regime in Nigeria.”

Nigerian officials invited Gambaryan earlier this year to address allegations about Binance’s involvement in manipulating the Nigerian currency. However, upon his arrival, Gambaryan was arrested without cause, his passport was confiscated and he was held without formal charges.

The attorneys general accused Nigerian authorities of violating Gambaryan’s basic rights, including no access to medical and nutritional needs. Gambaryan has spent months in Kuje Prison, which is known for housing violent extremists from Boko Haram and ISIS.

The letter comes the same day that the Nigerian government failed to produce Gambaryan at a scheduled court proceeding. According to a press release, the Nigerian government was either unable to unwilling to explain to the judge where Gambaryan was, except for stating that he was in custody.

Mentioned in this article

Monika Ghosh

In 2020, Monika immersed herself in crypto, maintaining skepticism yet firmly believing blockchain could address key issues like financial disparity and transparency. A book-lover, she's also a passionate food enthusiast.

News Desk

CryptoSlate is a comprehensive and contextualized source for crypto news, insights, and data. Focusing on Bitcoin, macro, DeFi and AI.

Latest Nigeria Stories

Binance ‘deeply disappointed’ by Nigerian court’s refusal to grant Gambaryan bail

Gambaryan's family expressed concerns over his worsening health conditions in Nigerian jail.

Stablecoins, DeFi boost Nigeria to second in global crypto adoption rankings – Chainalysis

Nigeria's success reflects a wider trend of crypto-driven financial innovation and inclusion in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Stablecoins boost financial access in emerging markets, report finds

Stablecoins have evolved from niche crypto tools to mainstream financial asset used to hedge against economic uncertainty.

Nigeria to ramp up crackdown on unregistered crypto exchanges

Nigeria's SEC said its enforcement actions aim to enhance investor protection and transparency in the country's fast-growing digital asset market.

Latest Press Releases

Ape On Launches Innovative Token Locking for Secure Project Launches on Solana

$KERORO Hits Solana With A Seismic Shift Expected

Mc Pitbull Launches MCPB Meme Coin with Innovative MEMconomy and MEMketing Approaches

The above is the detailed content of State Attorneys General Urge Biden to Declare Binance Compliance Officer a Hostage of the Nigerian Government. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!