A senior US lawmaker, Representative James Hill (R-AR), has said the Binance executive, Tigran Gambaryan, currently being detained in Nigeria has contributed immensely to combating cybercrime in the US and should not be abandoned by the government.
In a video posted on his verified X (formerly Twitter) account Hill, who serves as Vice Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee and Chairman of the subcommittee overseeing digital assets and financial technology, highlighted Gambaryan’s contributions to combating cybercrime, saying that since Tigran has helped America bust many cybercrime rings, it’s time to return the favour.
He expressed grave concerns over the continued detention of the Binance executive in Nigeria, warning that the situation could strain diplomatic ties between the two countries.
Hill’s intervention comes amid increasing calls for Gambaryan’s release, as the Binance executive has now spent six months in detention in Nigeria on charges of tax evasion and other financial crimes.
These charges, however, are reportedly not tied directly to Gambaryan, leading many to call for his humanitarian release.
“I’m surprised Nigeria, a country considered a friend to America, is holding a US citizen in detention over a matter he’s not directly involved in. I urge President Biden to push harder for his release,” Hill said.
In the video interview posted on his X account, Hill pressed the US Under Secretary for Management, John Bass, on the issue, asking:
“In this administration, we have seen a lot of action on Americans wrongfully detained abroad. And they frequently get a designation.
“But suddenly here we have a country like Nigeria, which we removed from the list in the Biden administration on religious freedom issues, signed a commercial and investment partnership with… detaining an American citizen indefinitely.”
As Gambaryan’s detention drags on, Hill warned that Nigeria’s actions could have broader diplomatic consequences.
“I don’t think the leadership in Nigeria understands they’re putting our relationship on the line because of the way they’re handling this situation,” Hill cautioned.
This is not the first time Hill is making a strong case for Gambaryan, urging Biden’s government to put more effort towards getting him out of detention.