"Ex-IRS Agent Freed After 8-Month Nigerian Nightmare"

Former IRS Agent Detained in Nigeria Released After 8-Month Ordeal

Tigran Gambaryan, a former IRS agent and Binance executive, was detained in Nigeria for eight months after traveling there to address cryptocurrency compliance issues. His colleague, Nadeem Anjarwalla, managed to escape, but Gambaryan was moved to prison where his health severely deteriorated due to malaria and spinal issues. U.S. government officials and Congress members eventually pressured Nigeria to release him on humanitarian grounds in October 2024. After his release, Gambaryan is pursuing legal action against Nigerian government officials.

Gambaryan's ordeal began when Nigerian officials detained him and Anjarwalla at a government compound in Abuja, demanding that Binance hand over user data and disable certain trading features. They claimed the cryptocurrency exchange had harmed Nigeria's economy. During the first month of their detention, the two men lived under guard in a government guesthouse with limited contact with the outside world. Anjarwalla's escape during a morning prayer visit to a local mosque sparked immediate consequences for Gambaryan, who was moved to solitary confinement in a windowless cell at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission facility.

After two weeks in solitary, Gambaryan was transferred to Kuje Prison on the outskirts of Abuja. While conditions remained harsh, he found ways to cope by befriending other inmates and receiving help from a former Nigerian police official. However, his health began to deteriorate as he contracted malaria and developed a 104-degree fever. Despite a court order for hospitalization, prison officials delayed proper medical care, leading to a significant weight loss and partial paralysis due to a herniated disc. Video footage of Gambaryan struggling to walk into court hearings on crutches went viral on social media, drawing international attention to his plight.

Back in the United States, a coalition of supporters worked to secure Gambaryan's release. Former congressman Connie Mack lobbied legislators, while Gambaryan's old law enforcement colleagues pressed for action. In June 2024, two members of Congress, French Hill and Chrissy Houlahan, visited him in prison, finding him physically frail and emotionally drained. The congressional visit marked a turning point, as more than 100 former federal agents and prosecutors signed a letter urging State Department intervention. House representatives introduced