Official records from the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs

U.S. Lawmakers from Georgia Urge Hostage Designation for Detained Binance Exec in Nigeria

Jul 12, 2024, 11:31 AM

U.S. lawmakers have introduced legislation in the House of Representatives urging the U.S. government to designate the detention of Binance executive Tigran Gambaryan in Nigeria as a hostage situation. The resolution, submitted by Representatives Rich McCormick of Georgia and French Hill, calls on the U.S. State Department to treat Gambaryan's case as a hostage crisis and demand his immediate release. Gambaryan, a U.S. citizen and former crypto crime investigator, is currently imprisoned in Nigeria. The lawmakers argue that his detention is a wrongful act intended to extort the cryptocurrency exchange Binance. This move comes amid concerns for Gambaryan's safety and health, as well as broader implications for the crypto industry. The resolution has been submitted to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.