Julie Singleton, Communications Director for Congressman Rich McCormick (GA-06), stated that the Congressman is "working with the appropriate officials" to secure the release of Tigran Gambaryan, Head of Financial Crime Compliance at Binance. Gambaryan was detained by the Nigerian government on February 26. Singleton relayed her statement to Federal Newswire on April 17.
"Congressman McCormick is working with the appropriate officials on behalf of Mr. Gambaryan to resolve the situation quickly," said Singleton. "We cannot discuss the details of the case as a matter of security."
According to a post from the Chamber of Digital Commerce, Gambaryan, a former U.S. federal agent who currently serves as head of financial crime compliance at cryptocurrency exchange Binance, was invited to Nigeria for a meeting with government officials but was subsequently detained by the Nigerian government on February 26. The Chamber indicated it "appears" that the Nigerian government is detaining Gambaryan in an attempt to "coerce" a fine from Binance. "This egregious act appears to be a state-sponsored kidnapping," said the Chamber in its post. The organization highlighted Gambaryan's "notable contributions to the fight against cybercrime" and urged the U.S. government to "employ every diplomatic measure to ensure Mr. Gambaryan’s immediate release."
Gambaryan's wife Yuki initiated a change.org petition titled "Help Bring Former U.S. Federal Agent Tigran Gambaryan Home From Unjust Detention in Nigeria." According to this petition, Gambaryan left Suwanee, Georgia after he was invited to Nigeria "for policy meetings on behalf of his employer." However, following one day of policy meetings, Gambaryan was taken into custody in a secure compound controlled by the Nigerian government and his passport was seized. Yuki emphasized that throughout her husband's career combating cybercrime, his efforts have led to significant arrests including those of notorious cyber criminals involved in drug dealing, human trafficking and money laundering.
A post on Binance's website states that Gambaryan is recognized "globally as someone fully dedicated to law enforcement." For a decade, Gambaryan served as a U.S. federal agent investigating cases related to "national security, terrorism financing, identity theft, distribution of child pornography, tax evasion, and bank secrecy act violations." During his tenure in the U.S. Treasury Department’s IRS Criminal Investigations unit, Gambaryan collaborated with the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and the United States Secret Service.
According to his website, McCormick is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who represents Georgia's 6th Congressional District and resides in Suwanee. Before his election to Congress, McCormick worked as an Emergency Room physician at Northside Hospital. He currently serves on the House Armed Services, Foreign Affairs, and Science, Space, and Technology Committees.
