On October 18, New Hampshire Attorney General John M. Formella requested the Biden Administration's diplomatic intervention in the case of U.S. citizen Tigran Gambaryan, who has been detained in Nigeria since February.
Gambaryan, a senior executive at Binance, missed a court hearing this week due to a medical condition, raising concerns for his health and safety.
“We must act decisively to ensure his safe return to his family before it’s too late. It is our duty to advocate for U.S. citizens abroad, and we urge the federal government to apply the necessary diplomatic pressure to secure his release,” said Formella in a press release. “Mr. Gambaryan’s continued detention without cause is not only a violation of his rights but also an immediate threat to his health and well-being. His safe return must be a priority.”
"We must act decisively to ensure his safe return to his family before it’s too late. It is our duty to advocate for U.S. citizens abroad, and we urge the federal government to apply the necessary diplomatic pressure to secure his release," said Attorney General Formella. "Mr. Gambaryan’s continued detention without cause is not only a violation of his rights but also an immediate threat to his health and well-being. His safe return must be a priority."
Tigran Gambaryan, a former IRS Special Agent with experience in international law enforcement, was arrested earlier this year upon arrival in Nigeria, where he had been invited by local officials to discuss cryptocurrency market regulation. After entering the country, Gambaryan was detained without formal charges, and his passport was confiscated. He has since been held in prison, where his health has reportedly deteriorated. According to his legal team, he is suffering from medical conditions requiring urgent attention.
The situation became more pressing when Nigerian authorities did not present Gambaryan for a scheduled court appearance, providing no explanation for his absence, though they confirmed he remains in custody.
An Abuja court recently postponed his case after he was unable to appear due to illness, with proceedings scheduled to resume on October 25. The court denied Gambaryan bail a second time, despite his legal team’s request for release on medical grounds.
“This inhumane treatment of Tigran must end. He must be allowed to go home for medical treatment and to be with his family,” Richard Teng, Binance’s CEO of Regional Markets, wrote in a Sept. 3 social media post on X.
According to a 2024 report by the Foley Foundation, as of mid-2024, there are 46 U.S. nationals wrongfully detained or held hostage across 16 countries. The report also indicated that nearly 8 in 10 U.S. nationals in captivity are detained by foreign governments.