Tigran Gambaryan, Binance’s head of crime compliance, has left Nigeria after spending eight months in detention following accusations of money laundering. Nigerian authorities dropped the charges, allowing Gambaryan to exit Kuje prison and board a flight to the United States.

According to a spokesperson for Gambaryan’s family, he was released on Wednesday and has been cleared to return to the U.S. for medical treatment.

Gambaryan’s health had severely deteriorated during his time in custody, where he developed malaria, pneumonia, and other illnesses that left him needing a wheelchair.

“He’s in the air,” a U.S.-based lawyer on Gambaryan’s legal team confirmed.

Nigerian prosecutors said the decision to drop the case was influenced by diplomatic considerations and Gambaryan’s position as an employee of Binance, which is still facing separate trials in Nigeria for money laundering and tax evasion.

U.S. National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, confirmed that Gambaryan was released on humanitarian grounds and was on his way back to the U.S. for urgent medical attention.

Meanwhile, Gambaryan’s wife, Yuki, expressed relief at his release, calling the past eight months “a living nightmare.” She credited U.S. efforts for securing his freedom.

“It is a huge relief that this day has finally come. The past eight months have been a living nightmare,” she said. She thanked the U.S. government for its efforts in securing his release.

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Binance CEO Richard Teng also expressed gratitude for Gambaryan’s release, though the company continues to face legal challenges in Nigeria.

The high-profile case has shone a spotlight on the regulatory tensions surrounding cryptocurrency operations in Nigeria, which remains Africa’s largest crypto market.

Gambaryan was arrested on a business trip to Nigeria in February and later charged alongside his company Binance with laundering $35.4m (£28m), which they denied.

The charges against Binance, which also included tax evasion offences that it denies, were part of a clampdown by the Nigerian authorities on cryptocurrency firms in general over fears they were being used for money laundering and financing terrorism.