- Gambaryan, who has been detained in Nigeria since February, is standing trial on charges related to the money laundering perpetrated on the Binance exchange
- The attorney generals asked Biden to declare Gambaryan a hostage in accordance with the Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act
- This designation will unlock critical resources and apply additional diplomatic pressure to ensure his immediate release, they said.
Attorney generals of 18 states in the United States have asked President Joe Biden to work to release Binance executive Tigran Gambaryan, who has been detained in Nigeria since February of this year.
Gambaryan is standing trial on charges related to the money laundering perpetrated on the Binance crypto exchange. Officials said bad actors used the platform to launder over $35 million. Gambaryan is a US citizen and, until his detention, was head of financial crime compliance at Binance.
In a joint letter sent to the president on October 18, the attorney generals asked him to declare Gambaryan a hostage in accordance with the Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act. They voiced concerns about Gambaryan's declining health and the “illegality” of his incarceration.
“In light of the alarming circumstances surrounding Tigran Gambaryan’s unlawful detention in Nigeria, I stand with my fellow attorneys general in calling on the Biden Administration to designate him as a hostage. Mr. Gambaryan is a dedicated public servant who has devoted his life to upholding the law and protecting American values. 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,” said General Formella, New Hampshire Attorney General, in a press statement. “We must act decisively to ensure his safe return to his family before it’s too late. It is our duty to advocate for U.S. citizens abroad, and we urge the federal government to apply the necessary diplomatic pressure to secure his release.”
Gambaryan’s life is in immediate danger, they said in the letter, adding that “the refusal of Nigerian authorities to allow independent medical evaluations or access to proper treatment mirrors the conditions that led to the tragic death of Otto Warmbier, a U.S. student who was detained in North Korea. We cannot allow history to repeat itself,” the letter read.
Gambaryan’s life hangs in the balance, and swift action is needed before it is too late, they said.
The letter further read, “Given the egregious nature of Gambaryan’s detention, we strongly urge the U.S. State Department to designate him as a hostage under the Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act.”
This designation will unlock critical resources and apply additional diplomatic pressure to ensure his immediate release, they said.
“To send a message that the United States will not tolerate the unlawful detention of its citizens is not only a matter of principle but a duty we owe to Gambaryan, his family, and the countless men and women who dedicate their lives to protecting this nation. The United States cannot falter in its responsibility to its citizens, especially those like Gambaryan, who have sacrificed so much to defend it.”
How FBI seized $6 million crypto assets from scammers
Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has confiscated crypto assets worth over $6 million from specialist cryptocurrency scammers who targeted US residents.
The scammers defrauded US residents and citizens from their base in Southeast Asia. According to the US Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia, there was a rising number of fraud cases in the nation, and one or more people lost millions of dollars after being duped into investing in what seemed to be reputable schemes.
