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Damilohun Maya
Guest
The President of the United States of America, Joe Biden has expressed appreciation to the Nigerian government and President Bola Tinubu over the release of Tigran Gambaryan, the detained executive of global crypto exchange, Binance.
Gambaryan left the country last week after eight months in detention after authorities dropped money laundering charges against him. In a statement shared with Technext, a family spokesperson confirmed that “Tigran was allowed to leave Kuje prison last night”.
In a tweet on X yesterday, President Biden said that he offered his appreciation to President Tinubu in a telephone conversation. “Earlier, I spoke with President Tinubu of Nigeria to express my condolences on the floods impacting his country and my appreciation for his leadership in securing the humanitarian release of Tigran Gambaryan”, the tweet said.
Tigran Gambaryan, a United States citizen, has been in detention since February and has been facing a money laundering trial from detention since April.
Having spent over 8 months in detention, there were calls locally and internationally for an amicable settlement of the case considering the reports about the deteriorating health conditions of the accused.
A day before his release, the Nigerian Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) dropped money laundering charges against the Binance executive. This brought an immediate end to the prolonged incarceration and conflict between the Nigerian authorities and Mr Gambaryan.
This follows an official demand by eighteen US State Attorney Generals for President Joe Biden to intervene to secure the release of Tigran Gambaryan in Nigeria. The group urged the United States President to act on behalf of Tigran (a US citizen) using the Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act.
In a joint letter sent on October 18, the group expressed deep concerns over Gambaryan’s unlawful detention and worsening health conditions.
The letter written by Attorney General John Formella reads in part:
“His continued detention without cause is not only a violation of his rights but also poses a severe risk to his health and well-being. We must advocate for U.S. citizens abroad, and we urge the federal government to apply the necessary diplomatic pressure to secure his release.”
Recall that Tigran Gambaryan was detained in February and his health has reportedly deteriorated in the infamous Kuje prison where he’s being incarcerated. Due to worsening health conditions, his lawyers filed a new bail application for him on medical grounds last month.
Binance Executive, Tigran Gambaryan sits as he waits to face prosecution for tax evasion and money laundering at the federal high court in Abuja, Nigeria April 4, 2024. REUTERS/ Abraham Achirga
According to a report by the DailyCoin, Tigran’s lawyer, Mark Mordi requested a full bail or a six-week bail for urgent medical care He argued that Tigran requires intervention from an orthopaedic surgeon and a psychiatrist, citing a July 18 medical report from the State House Annex clinic, in which a neurosurgeon recommended that the Binance executive undergo lumbar surgery as soon as possible.
Following his eventual release, Gambaryan’s wife, Yuki described it as a huge relief in a statement.
“The past eight months have been a living nightmare. I wish it hadn’t taken this long for his release, or that his health had not declined so much, but we can now focus on healing as a family. I want to express my deepest gratitude to the US government for their efforts in securing his release”, she shared.
Consequently, Binance CEO, Richard Teng has expressed appreciation to the Nigerian government for releasing Tigran Gambaryan.
Richard Teng – Binance CEO
“We are deeply relieved and grateful that Tigran Gambaryan has finally been released after enduring nearly eight months of detention in Nigeria. Throughout this difficult period, Tigran has shown immense strength, and we commend his resilience in the face of such severe adversity. We are deeply thankful to everyone who dedicated countless hours to support Tigran’s release”, the CEO said.
He maintained that Tigran’s health and well-being had remained a top priority for Binance. He added that the crypto exchange company is thankful that he can now receive the medical care and rest he urgently needs alongside his family.
The CEO also added that Binance remains committed to collaborating with global regulators to ensure compliance and transparency in the evolving digital asset space. “We are eager to put this episode behind us and continue working toward a brighter future for the blockchain industry around the world”, Teng said.
The post President Biden hails Nigeria over release of Tigran Gambaryan first appeared on Technext.
Gambaryan left the country last week after eight months in detention after authorities dropped money laundering charges against him. In a statement shared with Technext, a family spokesperson confirmed that “Tigran was allowed to leave Kuje prison last night”.
In a tweet on X yesterday, President Biden said that he offered his appreciation to President Tinubu in a telephone conversation. “Earlier, I spoke with President Tinubu of Nigeria to express my condolences on the floods impacting his country and my appreciation for his leadership in securing the humanitarian release of Tigran Gambaryan”, the tweet said.
Tigran Gambaryan, a United States citizen, has been in detention since February and has been facing a money laundering trial from detention since April.
Having spent over 8 months in detention, there were calls locally and internationally for an amicable settlement of the case considering the reports about the deteriorating health conditions of the accused.
A day before his release, the Nigerian Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) dropped money laundering charges against the Binance executive. This brought an immediate end to the prolonged incarceration and conflict between the Nigerian authorities and Mr Gambaryan.
This follows an official demand by eighteen US State Attorney Generals for President Joe Biden to intervene to secure the release of Tigran Gambaryan in Nigeria. The group urged the United States President to act on behalf of Tigran (a US citizen) using the Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act.
In a joint letter sent on October 18, the group expressed deep concerns over Gambaryan’s unlawful detention and worsening health conditions.
The letter written by Attorney General John Formella reads in part:
“His continued detention without cause is not only a violation of his rights but also poses a severe risk to his health and well-being. We must advocate for U.S. citizens abroad, and we urge the federal government to apply the necessary diplomatic pressure to secure his release.”
Recall that Tigran Gambaryan was detained in February and his health has reportedly deteriorated in the infamous Kuje prison where he’s being incarcerated. Due to worsening health conditions, his lawyers filed a new bail application for him on medical grounds last month.
Binance Executive, Tigran Gambaryan sits as he waits to face prosecution for tax evasion and money laundering at the federal high court in Abuja, Nigeria April 4, 2024. REUTERS/ Abraham Achirga
According to a report by the DailyCoin, Tigran’s lawyer, Mark Mordi requested a full bail or a six-week bail for urgent medical care He argued that Tigran requires intervention from an orthopaedic surgeon and a psychiatrist, citing a July 18 medical report from the State House Annex clinic, in which a neurosurgeon recommended that the Binance executive undergo lumbar surgery as soon as possible.
Following his eventual release, Gambaryan’s wife, Yuki described it as a huge relief in a statement.
“The past eight months have been a living nightmare. I wish it hadn’t taken this long for his release, or that his health had not declined so much, but we can now focus on healing as a family. I want to express my deepest gratitude to the US government for their efforts in securing his release”, she shared.
Consequently, Binance CEO, Richard Teng has expressed appreciation to the Nigerian government for releasing Tigran Gambaryan.
Richard Teng – Binance CEO
“We are deeply relieved and grateful that Tigran Gambaryan has finally been released after enduring nearly eight months of detention in Nigeria. Throughout this difficult period, Tigran has shown immense strength, and we commend his resilience in the face of such severe adversity. We are deeply thankful to everyone who dedicated countless hours to support Tigran’s release”, the CEO said.
He maintained that Tigran’s health and well-being had remained a top priority for Binance. He added that the crypto exchange company is thankful that he can now receive the medical care and rest he urgently needs alongside his family.
The CEO also added that Binance remains committed to collaborating with global regulators to ensure compliance and transparency in the evolving digital asset space. “We are eager to put this episode behind us and continue working toward a brighter future for the blockchain industry around the world”, Teng said.
The post President Biden hails Nigeria over release of Tigran Gambaryan first appeared on Technext.