Nigerian authorities have dropped charges against Tigran Gambaryan, head of financial crime compliance at Binance, citing his ill health as the reason for discontinuing the case.
Tigran Gambaryan, a former U.S. federal agent and Binance executive, has had charges against him dropped by the Nigerian government after being detained since February on allegations of money laundering and currency manipulation.
The charges were dropped due to his ill health, Bloomberg reports, citing sources familiar with the court’s decision. Crypto.news has reached out to Gambaryan’s family for comment and will provide updates if we hear back.
Earlier this month, a Nigerian court rejected Gambaryan’s appeal for bail, which his lawyer argued was necessary for him to receive medical treatment for a herniated disk and other health issues, including malaria and pneumonia. His lawyer, Mark Mordi, expressed concerns over Gambaryan’s deteriorating condition, emphasizing that he requires surgery not available within the prison system.
Binance’s Gambaryan released after six months in detention
The legal troubles for Gambaryan and his colleague, British-Kenyan Nadeem Anjarwalla, began when they were detained by Nigerian authorities during a visit to the country. Anjarwalla managed to escape and fled to Kenya in March, while Gambaryan was held at the Kuje correctional center in Abuja. U.S. lawmakers have criticized his detention, calling it “unlawful.”
Binance has publicly advocated for Gambaryan’s release, claiming his visit was not as a decision-maker for the company. The exchange also alleged that Nigerian officials requested a “secret” payment to resolve their issues, a claim that Nigeria has firmly rejected.
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