Video of Tigran Gambaryan, a Binance Executive detained in Nigeria for over 180 days, pleading with a prison guard to assist him because he was unable to walk properly due to an injured spine, might now become of interest to the US President Joe Biden.
The footage which might have been recorded by a sympathizer showed Gambaryan who had been imprisoned in Nigeria for over 180 days (since February), venting his frustration on the prison guard assigned to him, who refused to help him walk to the court.
“This is fucked up”…he says, slamming his crutch on the floor in anger. “Is it too much to help me?” What did I do? I’m f**king innocent”, he says before referring to the problem with his spine, using his hands on his leg to support the weight of his body, as he continues walking in pain.
At a point, Gambaryan tries to hold the prison official but the guard who most likely must have been acting out of official instructions, slams his hands off. “Don’t hold me”, he says, you come forward”…manage yourself…you can walk”.
Watch the video below:
Tigran Gambaryan, an American citizen, is a former US federal agent and mid-level executive of Binance, who came to Nigeria voluntarily to discuss the crypto-exchange platform amid the worsening crash in the value of the country’s currency – the Naira, in the black market and official exchange rates.
In a shocking move, the Nigerian Government arrested him and demanded over $150M for his release, as the country faces a severe shortage of FX to run its now-dwindling economy, bedeviled by corruption.
“To invite a company’s mid-level employees for collaborative policy meetings, only to detain them, has set a dangerous new precedent for all companies worldwide,” Binance CEO Richard Teng lamented, as the world watches what becomes of the representative of the world’s largest crypto exchange company.
What Happened To Tigran Gambaryan? How Did The Binance Executive Injure His Spine
No report has been seen so far from the Nigerian media on how Gambaryan broke his back/leg. However, a visit by two US lawmakers in June revealed that the employee was in poor health.
However, his wife, Yuki Gambaryan, gave a hint about the problem which might have started before he came to Nigeria when she said “the herniated disc in his back has worsened to the point where it might leave permanent damage and affect his ability to walk”, as she lamented his worsening health condition in a statement.
Though the court had requested for the Gambaryan’s medical record after he appeared in court in a wheelchair in July, none was submitted.
Gambaryan and Nadeem Anjarwalla, a British-Kenyan national and regional manager of Binance for Africa who luckily slipped out of custody – have been charged with laundering over $35 million on the crypto trading platform. Binance itself is also charged with tax evasion.