US Attorneys Insist on Hostage Status for Binance Exec in Nigeria

A group of 18 US attorneys general has urged President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken to secure the release of the Binance Executive Tigran Gambaryan, who is currently in custody in Nigeria.

The attorney general’s request follows the adjournment of Gambaryan’s trial in Nigeria due to his worsening health.

US Attorneys General Urges Biden to Designate Gambaryan as Hostage

In an October 18 letter, the group — led by Utah Attorney General Sean D. Reyes — called on President Biden and Secretary Blinken to officially classify Gambaryan as a hostage. They argue that his detention by Nigerian authorities qualifies under the Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act.

The attorneys voiced deep concerns about Gambaryan’s deteriorating health. They claimed that Nigerian authorities are holding him in one of the country’s most dangerous prisons, where he faces life-threatening conditions.

“Gambaryan’s life is in immediate danger. His health has severely deteriorated during his imprisonment — he has been denied treatment for multiple bouts of malaria and pneumonia, and his untreated herniated disc has left him immobile,” they wrote.

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Reyes emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating that Nigerian authorities are unlawfully holding Gambaryan in potentially deadly circumstances. He called the issue a humanitarian and patriotic concern rather than a political one.

“In our role as attorneys general, many of us have jurisdiction over criminal justice matters and are law enforcement leaders for our own communities. Tigran Gambaryan is one of these heroes in our world,” Reyes added.

Notably, the coalition also raised the possibility that Nigerian authorities may be using Gambaryan to leverage pressure on Binance. Due to this, the attorneys general urged the Biden administration to designate Gambaryan as a hostage. According to them, this move would unlock additional diplomatic resources to push for his release in Nigeria.

“The Levinson Act was designed specifically for cases like this, where US citizens are unlawfully detained for political or financial leverage. Tigran Gambaryan’s situation fits this profile, and the time to act is now — before this unlawful detention becomes a tragedy,” they wrote.

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This letter was sent on the same day that a Nigerian High Court in Abuja postponed Gambaryan’s trial to October 25, citing his inability to attend court due to his health issues. His legal battle with Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has dragged on since his detention in February. Gambaryan, along with Binance, is facing money laundering charges.

Meanwhile, Binance has maintained its willingness to cooperate with Nigeria but insisted that Gambaryan should be allowed to return home. Since his arrest, Gambaryan’s health has rapidly deteriorated, with reports of him suffering from malaria, pneumonia, tonsillitis, and a herniated disc that now confines him to a wheelchair.