Key Points:
Eighteen U.S. state attorneys general urged President Biden to help secure the release of Binance exec Tigran Gambaryan.
The attorneys general claimed his detention was being used as leverage against Binance.
A group of 18 state attorneys general has written to U.S. President Joe Biden to intervene in the case involving a Binance exec Tigran Gambaryan, who has been detained in Nigeria since February 2024.
Read more: US Lawmakers Demand Release Binance Executives by Nigerian Government
State Attorneys General Urge Release of Jailed Binance Exec Tigran Gambaryan
In a joint letter on October 18, the attorneys general urged Biden to consider the detention of Binance exec Tigran Gambaryan as hostage-taking under the Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act due to deep concerns over his deteriorating health and the legal basis of his detention.
Gambaryan is a former U.S. federal agent currently in the custody of the Nigerian government, which, according to the attorney general, is using him as leverage against Binance.
The letter describes Gambaryan as a hero who served a distinguished career with the U.S. Inland Revenue Service (IRS) in service of upholding American values and the rule of law. At Binance, they also argue his role has been instrumental in bringing the exchange into conformity with U.S. law.
Health and Legality of Gambaryan’s Imprisonment in Nigeria in Question
All hell broke loose when, in July, U.S. Representative Rich McCormick introduced a congressional resolution calling for the detention to be classified as a hostage situation.
Gambaryan did not appear in court on October 18, and the hearing was postponed until October 25. His health concerns mounted after that. His wife, Yuki, spoke to the press in August, saying his health had deteriorated to such an extent that it may result in permanent damage and affect his ability to walk.
The attorneys general promised to keep pushing for his release and asked the Biden administration to make the case a high priority because Gambaryan had previously given so much to law enforcement, adding he continued to be instrumental in upgrading Binance‘s regulatory standards in the U.S.
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