The U.S. House of Representatives has introduced a resolution calling for Nigeria to release Binance employee Tigran Gambaryan. Nigeria has detained Gambaryan, also a former federal agent, since February.
According to Congress.gov, the resolution, H. RES. 1348, is sponsored by Rep. Richard McCormick. It was introduced on July 10 and has since been referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
The resolution describes Gambaryan as a U.S. citizen who resides in Georgia and identifies him as a former federal agent for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). In this position, held for more than 10 years, Gambaryan investigated public crimes and seized more than $4 billion in illicit funds on behalf of the U.S. government.
When Gambaryan was detained in Nigeria on Feb. 26, 2024, he served as the head of Binance’s Crime Compliance division. He had traveled there after receiving an invitation from the Nigerian government to attend "high-level meetings regarding Binance’s compliance issues with the country." After the meetings turned hostile, Gambaryan was escorted by armed guards to his hotel room where he was ordered to pack his belongings and surrender his passport.
On April 5, the Nigerian government charged Gambaryan with several crimes, including tax evasion and money laundering, along with his employer, Binance. He was later transferred to Kuje Prison. Gambaryan tested positive for malaria but has not received proper treatment. At a May 23 hearing, he could not stand on his own and collapsed to the floor when asked to step forward. A congressional delegation that visited Gambaryan on June 20 expressed concern over his treatment.
The resolution urges Nigeria’s government to immediately release Gambaryan from imprisonment and calls on the U.S. federal government to use all resources available to secure his release.
