Sheila Warren, CEO of the Crypto Council for Innovation, has raised concerns regarding the treatment of Tigran Gambaryan, head of financial crime compliance for Binance and a former U.S. federal investigator, who is currently imprisoned in Nigeria. Warren expressed her concerns in a statement released on October 1.
“Tigran Gambaryan remains wrongfully detained by the Nigerian government,” said Warren. “He is also being denied access to urgent medical attention. My heart goes out to Tigran and his family, who are all suffering through this horrifying ordeal.”
According to CoinDesk, Nigerian officials had invited Gambaryan to participate in compliance discussions in February. However, he was detained during his visit, and his health has reportedly deteriorated significantly while in prison. He is said to be suffering from malaria and an untreated herniated disc that has impaired his mobility. Congressman Rich McCormick said that he believes Gambaryan is being held “hostage” as a means to “punish” Binance. McCormick further suggested that the U.S. government should leverage its influence over Nigeria to secure Gambaryan’s release.
Gambaryan’s detention comes amid allegations by the Nigerian government linking cryptocurrency activities to the devaluation of the naira. Economist Steve Hanke from The Johns Hopkins University refuted these claims in comments to Federal Newswire, stating that “the Nigerian government’s claim that the collapse of the naira has been caused by crypto speculation is misguided and incorrect.” Hanke attributed the naira’s decline to a significant increase in money supply growth and rising inflation rates.
Before joining Binance in 2021, Gambaryan served as a special agent for the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for ten years. During his tenure at the IRS, he investigated various cases involving national security and financial crimes, including high-profile cyber investigations such as those related to Silk Road and Mt. Gox.
Warren assumed her role as CEO of the Crypto Council for Innovation in February 2022. She also co-hosts the Money Reimagined podcast and serves on the board of the Bermuda Monetary Authority. The Crypto Council for Innovation describes itself as a “global alliance” focused on fostering public-private partnerships and advocating for inclusive regulation within Web3 advancements.
