A group of U.S. lawmakers has sent a letter to President Joe Biden urging him to help in the return of Tigran Gambaryan, the Binance executive who has been detained in Nigeria for almost three months.
A US citizen, Gambaryan is head of financial crime compliance at Binance and has been held at a prison in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, since April.
Binance and Gambaryan are facing money laundering and tax evasion charges in Nigeria.
Sixteen Republican congressmen including Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Michael McCaul wrote to Biden to have the case of Tigran Gambaryan referred to the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs.
In the letter, they urged the president to treat Gambaryan’s case as a hostage situation and see to his return back to the U.S.
“We fear for his life. Immediate action is essential to ensure his safety and preserve his life. We must act swiftly before it is too late,” they said.
Gambaryan and another company executive, Nadeem Anjarwalla, were detained by Nigerian officials after they were invited to resolve a dispute with the crypto exchange. Anjarwalla managed to escape, but Gambaryan has been in Nigeria since then.
In May, Gambaryan slumped at the Federal High Court Abuja during the money laundering trial against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
His attorney, Mark Mordi, explained that his client had been unwell and that a written application had been submitted to inform the court of his condition, stressing that Gambaryan had been indisposed since the last trial date.
Following his collapse in court, Mordi requested an adjournment to allow his client to receive proper medical attention because it would be impossible to proceed with the case under the circumstances.
Justice Emeka Nwite who had previously denied Gambaryan’s bail application on May 16, citing the EFCC’s evidence that he might flee if released on bail, subsequently, fixed June 20 and 21 for cross-examination and trial.
