Nigeria Rejects Binance Executive's Medical Bail Request
Gambaryan’s family and legal team have raised concerns about his health, with reports suggesting he may require surgery.
A Nigerian judge denied a medical bail request on Friday for Tigran Gambaryan, a Binance executive, declaring that health issues do not justify his release from custody. The ruling stated that unless Gambaryan posed a danger to others and quarantine measures were unavailable, he must remain in prison.
Gambaryan, Binance's head of financial crime compliance and a former cybercrime investigator for the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, is facing charges of money laundering and tax evasion in Nigeria, which he and his legal team have denied. His lawyers argue that his detention is an unlawful attempt to extort the company, but Nigerian authorities insist he is receiving proper medical care in prison.
Gambaryan’s family and legal team have raised concerns about his health, with reports suggesting he may require surgery. Despite his request for a wheelchair, Nigerian authorities maintain that prison medical facilities are adequate and that the courtroom is the proper venue to address his legal case.
The case follows Binance's 2023 settlement with U.S. authorities for $4.3 billion over violations related to money laundering, unlicensed money transmission, and sanctions. As part of that settlement, Binance’s CEO, Changpeng Zhao, stepped down from the company.
Efforts by U.S. officials, including Ambassador Richard M. Mills Jr., are reportedly underway to secure Gambaryan’s release from the Nigerian prison. However, the court's latest ruling signals a continued tough stance by Nigerian authorities.
