A group of more than 100 former US federal prosecutors has urged the United States government to intensify efforts to secure the release of Binance executive Tigran Gambaryan from Nigerian custody, according to a June 6 letter.Gambaryan, Binance’s head of compliance, and his colleague Nadeem Anjarwalla were detained in Nigeria in February following a contentious meeting with the African country’s government. While Anjarwalla managed to escape in March, Gambaryan remains imprisoned.In the letter addressed to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the former prosecutors criticized the US government’s lack of action, warning of potentially dire consequences. They wrote:“Tigran is now being held on false charges related to money laundering and tax evasion. He is completely innocent of these charges and, as a mid-tier employee at Binance, does not hold a role that makes him an appropriate stand-in for the company.”The group highlighted Gambaryan’s extensive service in law enforcement, where he handled significant cases involving national security, terrorism financing, and identity theft.They assert his innocence and argue that his detention is an attempt to pressure Binance into settlements with the Nigerian government, adding that his continued imprisonment was unjust and inhumane.They stated:“[Gambaryan] is currently held at Kuje Prison, which has housed some of Nigeria’s worst criminals, including Boko Haram members. His rights to legal counsel and family contact have been severely restricted.”Notably, this appeal coincides with increasing calls for diplomatic action on the case between the Nigerian government and Gambaryan.Earlier in the week, several US lawmakers urged President Joe Biden to intervene in the matter because Gambaryan was being wrongfully detained and was charged with several baseless crimes.However, the Nigerian government has publicly maintained its adherence to due process in the ongoing legal proceedings against Binance and Gambaryan. According to the authorities, the accused will have the opportunity to defend themselves against the charges in court—the next hearing on the case is scheduled for June 20.Oluwapelumi values Bitcoin’s potential. He imparts insights on a range of topics like DeFi, hacks, mining and culture, underlining transformative power.Also known as “Akiba,” Liam is a reporter, editor and podcast producer at CryptoSlate. He believes that decentralized technology has the potential to make widespread positive change. Your daily dose of must-have crypto news and deep dives. Direct to your inbox.The lawmakers argued Gambaryan is being held as part of a coercion tactic by the Nigerian government to extort Binance.Tigran Gambaryan has been held in Nigeria since February 26.Stakeholders warn that the continued detention of Binance executives in Nigeria could cause reputational damage for the country.The IMF contends that through proper regulation and licensing, cryptocurrencies can provide Nigeria with tools for more secure and efficient transaction processes.CryptoSlate’s latest market report dives deep into the effects corporate Bitcoin purchases have on the market.Disclaimer: Our writers’ opinions are solely their own and do not reflect the opinion of CryptoSlate. None of the information you read on CryptoSlate should be taken as investment advice, nor does CryptoSlate endorse any project that may be mentioned or linked to in this article. Buying and trading cryptocurrencies should be considered a high-risk activity. Please do your own due diligence before taking any action related to content within this article. Finally, CryptoSlate takes no responsibility should you lose money trading cryptocurrencies.
