A senior official from Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that the United States is requesting consular access to Tigran Gambaryan, a Binance executive who is currently detained at the Kuje Custodial Centre in Abuja.
Gambaryan, a U.S. citizen and Binance’s chief of financial crimes compliance, was arrested in February 2024 along with another executive, Anjarwalla, upon their arrival in Nigeria. Their arrests followed an investigation linking Binance to allegations of money laundering and terrorism financing.
Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja is scheduled to rule on a new bail application from Gambaryan’s legal team on October 9.
There are growing concerns about Gambaryan’s health, with Binance CEO Richard Teng calling for his release due to claims of deteriorating health and inadequate medical care. Gambaryan’s family has also alleged that he is being denied access to a wheelchair.
A source from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that the U.S. is particularly focused on Gambaryan’s well-being.
“They are not lobbying; they are concerned that they are not being granted access to him as a U.S. citizen. Remember, Binance had issues in the U.S. as well,” the source explained.
