The White House has announced that President Joe Biden engaged in discussions with Nigerian President Bola Tinubu concerning the release of American citizen Tigran Gambaryan, a former law enforcement official. Gambaryan was released on humanitarian grounds following diplomatic efforts.
The leaders addressed the significance of the U.S.-Nigeria partnership in addressing global challenges and enhancing security and prosperity across various sectors. Biden emphasized ongoing cooperation in law enforcement through the newly established Bilateral Liaison Group on Illicit Finance and Cryptocurrencies. The dialogue also covered collaboration on innovative technologies and a shared interest in reforming international organizations to ensure they reflect African perspectives and priorities, according to the White House.
According to The New York Times, Gambaryan was detained in Nigeria in February after attending compliance discussions with local officials and faced financial crime charges. He was subsequently moved to Kuje Prison, where his health deteriorated due to malaria, pneumonia, and a herniated disc. After extensive diplomatic efforts, Nigeria dropped the charges, and on October 24, he returned to the United States on a medical flight. His detention had strained U.S.-Nigeria relations; however, following his release, the U.S. has expressed its intention to strengthen its partnership with Nigeria.
Federal Newswire reports that Representative Rich McCormick submitted a resolution to the House Foreign Affairs Committee in July, urging Nigeria to ensure adequate medical care for Tigran Gambaryan and uphold his due process rights. The resolution also called on the U.S. government to formally recognize Gambaryan as "a U.S. citizen wrongfully detained by a foreign government."
Tigran Gambaryan became vice president of Global Intelligence and Investigations at Binance in 2021. Before joining Binance, he served for ten years as a special agent in the Internal Revenue Service's Criminal Investigation Cyber Crimes Unit in Washington, D.C., where he led notable cyber investigations including those involving AlphaBay and the Mt. Gox hack, according to Federal Newswire.
