Andy Greenberg, author of "Tracers in the Dark," stated it is "ironic and sad" that BTC-e operator Alexander Vinnik may be released back to Russia before U.S. citizen Tigran Gambaryan, who helped bring about Vinnik's arrest, is freed from a Nigerian prison. Greenberg shared his statement in an Aug. 1 post on X.
"If you read my book Tracers in the Dark you know the federal agent who led the work to take down Vinnik was Tigran Gambaryan, who is now being held in a Nigerian prison," said Greenberg. "Ironic and sad that Vinnik might get out before Tigran. Time to bring Tigran home."
According to Greenberg, Vinnik may be one of the individuals the U.S. will exchange with Russia in return for the freedom of journalist Evan Gershkovich. He said Vinnik is "a familiar name for followers of crypto crime" due to his role with BTC-e and the Mt. Gox hack.
Vinnik, a Russian national, pled guilty in May to money laundering conspiracy for his involvement in the operation of the crypto exchange BTC-e, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office of the Northern District of California. The release stated BTC-e was "one of the primary ways by which cyber criminals around the world transferred, laundered, and stored the criminal proceeds of their illegal activities." The exchange processed more than $9 billion in transactions. The U.S. Attorney's Office named Gambaryan as one of the individuals who supported the "lengthy investigation" into Vinnik.
Gambaryan spent more than 10 years working for the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) before joining the crypto exchange Binance, according to a resolution filed with the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee urging the Nigerian government to release him. While working for the IRS, Gambaryan investigated "highly public crimes" resulting in the seizure of "over $4,000,000,000 in illicit funds on behalf of the United States Government." The Nigerian government invited Gambaryan to participate in compliance discussions, but according to reports, these meetings became "hostile," leading to his detention on Feb. 26. He was later charged with crimes including tax evasion and money laundering and transferred to Kuje Prison, which is known for its harsh conditions. Nigerian government officials admitted openly in court that Gambaryan is being tried instead of pursuing legal action against his employer. Reports indicate that Gambaryan has tested positive for malaria and has not received adequate medical treatment.
The Digital Chamber, a U.S.-based blockchain industry advocacy group, said Gambaryan is being held to "coerce" a fine from Binance, according to a post on its website. The Chamber described this act as a state-sponsored kidnapping and called it a "flagrant violation of international law" that sets a dangerous precedent for American businessmen traveling abroad.
Greenberg is an award-winning author whose book details the work of Gambaryan and other investigators who have tracked down criminals using cryptocurrency for illicit purposes.
