Mark Mordi, a partner at the law firm Aluko & Oyebode, has described the Nigerian government's detention of his client, former U.S. federal agent Tigran Gambaryan, as "state-sanctioned hostage-taking." This statement was made during court proceedings in Nigeria on April 23.
"This is purely state-sanctioned hostage-taking," said Mordi.
In the same hearing, Ekele Iheanacho, representing Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), argued that Gambaryan should be denied bail due to his potential as a flight risk. Contrarily, Mordi contended that the EFCC is detaining Gambaryan to leverage a fine from cryptocurrency exchange Binance, where Gambaryan is currently employed. According to Mordi, the Nigerian government initially invited Gambaryan and another Binance employee to Abuja in late February for a meeting with officials. However, upon their arrival, both were detained and accused of devaluing the naira, Nigeria's currency. While the other employee managed to leave Nigeria in March, Gambaryan remains in custody. He faces charges of money laundering but has pleaded not guilty. His bail hearing has been postponed multiple times and is now slated for May 17.
According to a post by The Chamber of Digital Commerce on March 15, an "urgent call to action" was issued urging President Joe Biden and the U.S. government to employ diplomatic measures for Gambaryan's release from Nigeria. The Chamber labeled Gambaryan's detention as "a state-sponsored kidnapping" and "a distressing breach of international law." They emphasized Gambaryan's significant contributions towards combating cybercrime throughout his career, including his role in dismantling a child exploitation ring and taking down Silk Road. "His career, dedicated to upholding justice and security, starkly contrasts with the unfounded circumstances of his arrest," said the Chamber.
The Chamber also expressed concern over the potential implications of Gambaryan's detention, as per the same post. "Gambaryan’s detainment under such dubious circumstances sets a dangerous precedent, signaling that any American businessman abroad, particularly those in the cryptocurrency sector, is vulnerable to similar unlawful actions by foreign governments," they stated. The Chamber noted that Nigeria, a U.S. ally, receives over $1 billion in U.S. foreign aid annually.
A post on Binance's website acknowledges Gambaryan 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 at the U.S. Treasury Department’s IRS Criminal Investigations unit, he collaborated with the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and the United States Secret Service.
According to Aluko & Oyebode's website, Mordi is part of their litigation and dispute resolution team. His practice also encompasses intellectual property enforcement. He is affiliated with both the Nigerian Bar Association Section on Business Law and the International Bar Association.
