After eight months in custody in Nigeria, an American working for the cryptocurrency firm Binance is returning home. Tigran Gambaryan, a compliance officer for Binance, faced money-laundering charges as part of a broader Nigerian government case against the company, which has strained U.S.-Nigeria relations.
A medical-equipped plane departed from Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, on Thursday to bring Mr. Gambaryan back to the United States. During his detention, he contracted malaria and double pneumonia and suffers from a herniated disk.
His release followed months of diplomatic pressure from the United States, which promised an enhanced partnership with Nigeria, particularly concerning cybercrime investigations.
Mr. Gambaryan was arrested shortly after arriving in Nigeria in February. Initially held in a government-owned guesthouse, he was later transferred to Kuje prison in April. While tax evasion charges were dropped, prosecutors maintained that he was accountable for Binance’s alleged money-laundering activities, which they claimed contributed to Nigeria's economic crisis. Binance has denied these allegations, asserting that Mr. Gambaryan was a midlevel employee not responsible for the company's actions.
U.S. officials displayed a divided stance regarding his detention. The State Department did not officially classify him as wrongfully detained, and some officials believed there was insufficient evidence to suggest improper holding. Others, however, suspected that Nigeria was using Mr. Gambaryan as leverage against Binance, seeking more information about the company's customers than they believed was feasible.
As Mr. Gambaryan's health declined, former colleagues from his time at the Internal Revenue Service advocated for his case. U.S. officials had been quietly pursuing his release since at least June. During a visit to Nigeria on June 14, the F.B.I. director raised the issue with Nigeria’s national security adviser.
As negotiations intensified, U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan emphasized humanitarian grounds for Mr. Gambaryan's release in calls with Nigerian officials. The discussions were notably less confrontational than recent U.S. negotiations with Russia over wrongfully imprisoned Americans, reflecting the partnership between the U.S. and Nigeria.
U.S. officials communicated that Mr. Gambaryan's detention was damaging bilateral relations while affirming Nigeria's right to investigate cryptocurrency companies, including Binance. They indicated that U.S. assistance in these investigations would be contingent upon Mr. Gambaryan's freedom.
Nigeria is keen on collaborating with the U.S. in artificial intelligence, believing American companies possess superior A.I. models. The U.S. government has significant control over access to its advanced technology through export controls and regulations. In May, officials announced U.S. funding for an A.I. conference in Lagos and discussed expanding cooperation on digital access across Africa.
While no specific A.I. initiatives have been announced since May, the U.S. State Department recently established a bilateral group to assist Nigeria in enhancing its cybercrime investigation and prosecution capabilities.