On Thursday, the United States deployed a plane equipped with medical supplies to retrieve Tigran Gambaryan, an executive of Binance Holdings Limited, from Nigeria. This development follows the Nigerian Federal Government’s decision to withdraw money laundering charges against Gambaryan, reportedly due to his ill health and diplomatic interventions.
According to The New York Times, Gambaryan had been detained since February amid a government crackdown on Binance for alleged manipulation of the naira. Alongside him, the regional manager for Binance, Nadeem Anjarwalla, was also detained but managed to escape custody in March.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed gratitude towards the Nigerian government for releasing Gambaryan on medical grounds, stating, “This positive outcome demonstrates the strength of the U.S.-Nigeria partnership and highlights our shared commitment to working together to advance our common interests.” He emphasized the importance of close law enforcement cooperation between the two nations.
Jake Sullivan, the National Security Advisor at the White House, also commented on the situation, saying he was “pleased” to have facilitated Gambaryan’s release for humanitarian reasons. Sullivan stated, “I am pleased that American citizen and former U.S. law enforcement official Tigran Gambaryan has been released on humanitarian grounds by the Nigerian Government and is on his way back to the United States so that he can receive needed medical attention.”
Gambaryan’s return to the U.S. underscores the ongoing diplomatic engagement between the two countries and reflects their commitment to addressing mutual concerns.