Tigran Gambaryan, a detained Binance executive, is facing a rapidly deteriorating health crisis, according to his family, who are urgently calling for immediate medical intervention. Gambaryan, who has been held in Nigeria since February, is now suffering from severe health issues that have left him mostly bedridden, raising alarms about his overall well-being.
Gambaryan, a prominent U.S. citizen and the financial crime compliance chief at Binance, has been afflicted with a worsening herniated disc, a condition that has severely compromised his mobility. His family reports that without prompt and appropriate medical treatment, the damage could become permanent, leaving him unable to walk. Additionally, Gambaryan is struggling with recurring throat infections and pneumonia, both of which require urgent medical care, including surgery to remove his tonsils.
Yuki Gambaryan, his wife, voiced her deep concern, saying, “My once fit and healthy husband, who loves working out, is now wheelchair-bound due to a treatable condition that has not been properly addressed. The herniated disc in his back has worsened to the point where it might leave permanent damage and affect his ability to walk.”
Detained Binance Executive: The Beginning of the Saga
Gambaryan’s ordeal began in February when he was detained alongside Binance’s Africa regional manager, Nadeem Anjarwalla, upon their arrival in Abuja, Nigeria. They were accused of participating in illegal activities related to cryptocurrency transactions. While Anjarwalla managed to escape custody in March, Gambaryan has remained incarcerated, with criminal charges filed against him on February 28.
Since his detention, Gambaryan’s legal team has encountered significant barriers, including being denied access to visit him at Kuje prison. This denial of basic legal rights has drawn sharp criticism from various legal experts and human rights advocates. Meanwhile, Binance continues to campaign for his release, with CEO Richard Teng emphasizing that Gambaryan was in Nigeria for legitimate purposes related to financial crime compliance and policy discussions.
The regulatory landscape in Nigeria has been challenging for Binance, beginning with the country’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) imposing regulations on digital asset exchanges two years ago. Despite efforts by Binance to comply, ambiguities in the regulations and a lack of response from the SEC culminated in accusations in June 2023 that Binance was operating illegally in Nigeria, leading to the suspension of services to Nigerian investors.
Amid this regulatory and legal turmoil, Gambaryan’s health has continued to deteriorate, yet there has been no official comment from the Nigerian SEC on his condition or the circumstances of his detention. The SEC’s silence has only intensified concerns from his family and the wider community.
The situation has also attracted attention in the United States, where lawmakers are increasingly alarmed by Gambaryan’s plight. In June, a bipartisan group of U.S. legislators penned a letter to President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens, urging them to classify the situation of the detained Binance executive as a hostage crisis. The letter highlights the inadequate medical care Gambaryan has received and the imminent threat to his life if his health continues to be neglected.
Led by Michael McCaul, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, the letter was co-signed by 15 other members of Congress, who expressed the urgent need for the release of the detained Binance executive to receive the critical medical care he requires. The lawmakers stressed that any delay could result in irreversible health consequences for the detained executive.
As Tigran Gambaryan’s health crisis deepens, the urgency of the situation cannot be overstated. His family’s plea for immediate medical attention and his release from custody is a matter of life and death. The international community, along with U.S. lawmakers, continues to monitor the situation closely, with growing calls for action to safeguard Gambaryan’s health and ensure he receives the necessary medical treatment before it is too late.
Gambaryan’s situation highlights the human cost of regulatory and legal conflicts in the digital asset space, where the stakes are not just financial but also deeply personal.
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