Health of detained Binance executive, Tigran Gambaryan is ‘shockingly bad’- wife says

The wife of detained Binance executive, Tigran Gambaryan has claimed that his health is in a shockingly bad condition and getting worse by the day. Yuki Gambaryan, in a statement today expressed fear that his health may deteriorate to the point of permanent damage if he is not released soon.

Despite a court order from Justice Emeka Nwite on Thursday, May 23, Gambaryan remained in Kuje prison and was not transferred to a hospital, according to a family spokesperson. The family expressed grave concerns over his health, citing the inadequate medical facilities at Kuje prison.

“His health is in a shockingly bad condition and getting worse by the day. The herniated disc in his back has worsened to the point where it might leave permanent damage and affect his ability to walk”, she said in a statement.

For several weeks Tigran has been complaining to the prison authorities about pain associated with a herniated disc in his back but the Nigerian government have not provided adequate care for his condition. His family claimed that he has been in severe pain and hardly been able to walk having been detained for over 160 days now.

The court had ordered Gambaryan’s transfer to a hospital to address his health issues, but this directive was not followed.

Gambaryan has been in detention for over four months. He was initially invited by Nigerian authorities to resolve a dispute with Binance. However, after a meeting with government officials, he and another Binance executive, Nadeem Anjarwalla, were apprehended by law enforcement. While Anjarwalla later escaped, he remains implicated in the money laundering charges.

Gambaryan’s wife, Yuki Gambaryan, expressed her devastation and shock to CoinDesk over the authorities’ inaction despite the court order.

“Tigran does not deserve such inhumane treatment,” she said.

Recall that trial Judge Emeka has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of the hospital’s medical director, demanding his/her presence at the next hearing. He also ordered Mr Gambaryan to be admitted to the hospital for 24 hours “for emphasis” and proper treatment.

The judge expressed frustration after a court-ordered medical report for Gambaryan was not submitted as evidence. He had previously ordered the documents released from the hospital where Gambaryan was treated, but the facility’s director has not complied.

Mrs Yuki Gambaryan also claimed that her husband had been denied access to his lawyers since July 26.

Last month, the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) assured that Binance executive Tigran Gambaryan, currently detained at Kuje prison in Abuja, is in good health, countering allegations from his family regarding his deteriorating condition.

During a briefing organised by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) in Abuja, NCoS spokesperson Umar Abubakar addressed the concerns raised by Gambaryan’s family at the Abuja Federal High Court.

Abubakar refuted these claims, stating, “Gambaryan is not under any serious health condition,” and emphasised that the correctional facilities are equipped to handle inmates’ health issues. He highlighted the service’s successful management of health crises, noting, “In 2020, during COVID-19, we recorded 0% of COVID patients in our custodial centres.”

He further assured that NCoS has qualified medical personnel available to attend to any inmate health concerns and that inmates are referred to appropriate hospitals if their conditions cannot be managed within the facility.

“Gambaryan is fine with us, and he will continue to be fine with us,” Abubakar reiterated, aiming to dispel any worries about the Binance executive’s wellbeing.

Binance and executives Tigran Gambaryan, a U.S. citizen and head of financial crimes compliance, and British-Kenyan national Nadeem Anjarwalla, a regional manager for Africa, have been charged with laundering more than $35 million and engaging in specialised financial activities without a licence.

Recall that the Federal High Court in Abuja dropped charges against two executives of the crypto exchange, Tigran Gambaryan and Nadeem Anjarwalla from the FIRS tax evasion case against the company.

The court made the ruling following an amended charges application filed by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) in response to a notice from Binance that it has appointed a Nigerian representative in the case, Ayodele Omotilewa.

Gambaryan’s court trial has been scheduled to continue on October 11.