Binance Executive Tigran Gambaryan Denied Bail in Nigeria
Binance executive Tigran Gambaryan was denied bail by a Nigerian judge, a family spokesperson said Friday.
Gambaryan, the crypto exchange’s head of financial crime compliance, has been detained in Nigeria since February. He has been in the notorious Kuje prison alongside the likes of terrorist group Boko Haram since fellow Binance employee Nadeem Anjarwalla escaped custody in March.
Alongside Binance, Gambaryan was charged with tax evasion and money laundering, though the tax charges were later dropped.
The court deferred making a decision on bail in September. Gambaryan’s attorneys filed a new bail application, citing his deteriorating medical condition. One lawyer, Mark Mordi, told the court last month that the executive has needed surgery since July 18 and requires urgent assistance that cannot currently be provided in prison, Bloomberg reported.
During his time in prison Gambaryan has developed malaria, pneumonia and tonsillitis and suffers from complications tied to a herniated disc in his back, which left him in need of a wheelchair – though in a video from his last court appearance, Gambaryan did not have a wheelchair, and instead had to struggle on a single crutch.
“It is completely unjust to deny someone in Tigran’s condition the opportunity to seek appropriate medical help and I just pray that when he is finally released that the damage he is suffering is not permanent,” Tigran’s wife Yuki Gamabryan said. “I am exhausted and deeply disappointed, but I will continue fighting for my husband’s rightful freedom.”
Disclosure
Please note that our
privacy policy,
terms of use,
cookies,
and
do not sell my personal information
have been updated
.
CoinDesk is an
award-winning
media outlet that covers the cryptocurrency industry. Its journalists abide by a strict set of
editorial policies.
CoinDesk has adopted a set of principles aimed at ensuring the integrity, editorial independence and freedom from bias of its publications. CoinDesk is part of the Bullish group, which owns and invests in digital asset businesses and digital assets. CoinDesk employees, including journalists, may receive Bullish group equity-based compensation. Bullish was incubated by technology investor Block.one.
:format(jpg)/www.coindesk.com/resizer/s18497Qm3Z2y-HO3cp7rBID5v2Y=/arc-photo-coindesk/arc2-prod/public/HC2J5TLYLFCRDEVA4SPLXUAIXI.jpg)
Camomile Shumba is a CoinDesk regulatory reporter based in the UK. She previously worked as an intern for Business Insider and Bloomberg News. She does not currently hold value in any digital currencies or projects.
Follow @camomileshumba on Twitter
