A spokesperson for Congressman Rich McCormick (R-GA) stated that the Congressman continues to work with the State Department to secure the release of his constituent Tigran Gambaryan from Nigeria, where he has been detained since February 26. Rep. McCormick's office shared its statement with Federal Newswire on August 16.
"Congressman McCormick is still working very closely with the State Department and the family of Tigran Gambaryan to bring him home safely and swiftly," said the spokesperson.
In July, McCormick filed a resolution with the House Foreign Affairs Committee urging the Nigerian government to release Gambaryan. According to the resolution, Gambaryan spent more than 10 years working as a special agent for the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) before joining the crypto exchange Binance. The Nigerian government invited Gambaryan to participate in compliance discussions regarding Binance, but the meetings became "hostile," and Gambaryan was detained on February 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 Tigran is being tried in lieu of pursuing legal action against his employer." The resolution said the U.S. government should "formally declare Tigran Gambaryan as a 'U.S. citizen wrongfully detained by a foreign government'" and called on the Nigerian government to provide Gambaryan with adequate medical care and ensure he receives due process.
According to Reuters, Gambaryan's health continues to deteriorate in Nigerian prison as he awaits his October 11 trial for the money laundering charge. Due to a herniated disc, Gambaryan was brought into a courtroom in a wheelchair in July. "His health is in a shockingly bad condition and getting worse by the day," Gambaryan's wife, Yuki, said. "The herniated disc in his back has worsened to the point where it might leave permanent damage and affect his ability to walk." She also said Gambaryan is being denied adequate access to his legal team and hasn't been able to speak to his attorneys since July 26.
McCormick represented Gambaryan on behalf of Yuki during an April 30 House Foreign Affairs Committee roundtable about U.S. citizens detained abroad. According to a video of the event, McCormick read a prepared statement from Yuki in which she described the "grave injustice" of her husband's detention by the Nigerian government. She said Gambaryan traveled to Nigeria after an invitation from Nigerian officials, which was typical for his job as head of financial crime compliance for Binance. "However, 24 hours after his arrival, he was arrested and detained without charge or explanation," according to Yuki's statement. The charges that the Nigerian government later "fabricated" against Gambaryan are "utterly baseless," according to Yuki. "He was lured into the country under false pretenses only to be arrested due to some vendetta against his employer, and now my whole family is being caught in the crossfire."
Binance CEO Richard Teng said Gambaryan is "innocent and must be released," according to a post on the company's website. He said that Gambaryan had traveled to Nigeria to discuss compliance issues with government officials in January, and when he and other Binance employees were leaving the meeting, "they were approached by unknown persons who suggested they make a payment in settlement of the allegations." Teng added that Gambaryan and other employees immediately left Nigeria but returned for more scheduled meetings in February after receiving "multiple assurances" regarding safety. However, those meetings became "hostile" and that is when Gambaryan was detained.
McCormick is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who represents Georgia's 6th Congressional District, according to his website. Prior to being elected to Congress, McCormick worked as an Emergency Room physician at Northside Hospital. He is a member of the House Armed Services, Foreign Affairs, and Science, Space, and Technology Committees.
