Wife of Binance executive remanded in Kuje prison warns foreign businesses to be wary of Nigerian govt

On Monday, April 8, 2024, Mrs Gambaryan called out the Nigerian government for holding her husband hostage.

Her statement comes after a Federal High Court in Abuja declined her husband’s oral application to change his holding facility from Kuje prison to the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

She raised concerns saying her “innocent” husband is “being held in increasingly worse conditions” and detained in Kuje prison.

“He is clearly a scapegoat for whatever problems they are facing, and it is beyond unacceptable that this is how they are treating a completely innocent man,” Mrs Gambaryan stated.

She also warned other international businesses to avoid Nigeria.

Mrs Gambaryan said, “I am begging the American government to do anything to get Tigran out, and I am imploring the Nigerian government to realise that they are holding a completely innocent man. They can still do the right thing and release him whilst they negotiate with the actual decision-makers at Binance for a solution to the issues which they are facing.

“International businesses should be very careful of doing anything in Nigeria, as their employees could suddenly be held hostage by the Nigerian government and treated like criminals for no reason,” she said.

Mr Gambaryan, a United States citizen who heads Binance’s financial crime compliance department, was remanded to Kuje Prison after he pleaded not guilty to a five-count money laundering charge on Monday. His trial will resume on May 2.