Congressman Rich McCormick expressed his encouragement following the release of Tigran Gambaryan, a Binance employee and his constituent, who had been detained in Nigeria since February. McCormick shared this statement with Federal Newswire on October 23.
"I am very encouraged to hear the news that the Nigerian government has dropped all charges and ordered the release of my constituent, Tigran Gambaryan," said McCormick. "We will continue to monitor his release and work closely with the State Department until he is home safe."
According to the New York Times, while held in a Nigerian prison on money laundering charges, Gambaryan's health deteriorated significantly. A former U.S. federal government employee, he suffered from malaria, double pneumonia, and a herniated disc that impaired his mobility. After months of diplomatic and international pressure, the Nigerian government dropped the charges against him. On October 24, Gambaryan boarded a plane equipped with medical supplies to return to the United States. His imprisonment had strained U.S.-Nigeria relations; however, with his release, the U.S. has pledged to strengthen its partnership with Nigeria.
McCormick actively advocated for Gambaryan during his imprisonment by filing a resolution with the House Foreign Affairs Committee in July. The resolution urged the Nigerian government to provide adequate medical treatment and ensure due process for Gambaryan. It also called on the U.S. government to "formally declare Tigran Gambaryan as a 'U.S. citizen wrongfully detained by a foreign government.'" The resolution said that Nigerian officials "admitted openly in court that Tigran is being tried in lieu of pursuing legal action against his employer." McCormick represented Gambaryan on behalf of his wife, Yuki, during an April 30 House Foreign Affairs Committee roundtable about U.S. citizens detained abroad.
The Digital Chamber, a U.S. blockchain industry advocacy group, described Gambaryan's detention as "a distressing breach of international law" and "a state-sponsored kidnapping," according to its website post. The Chamber said that such circumstances set "a dangerous precedent," indicating vulnerability for American businessmen abroad, particularly those in cryptocurrency.
Gambaryan joined Binance in September 2021 as noted on Binance's website. Previously serving ten years as a special agent for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), he investigated cases involving national security and other serious offenses during his career. He led several significant cyber investigations including those related to Silk Road corruption and bitcoin exchanges like BTC-e and Mt. Gox.
McCormick is a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps representing Georgia's 6th Congressional District, according to his website. Before being elected to Congress, he worked as an Emergency Room physician at Northside Hospital and serves on various committees including Armed Services and Foreign Affairs.
