‘My Living Nightmare’: Detained Binance Exec’s Wife Begs for His Immediate Release

In a recent video, Yuki Gambaryan shared that it’s been six months since she last saw her husband and their children haven’t held him by the hand. His health condition has significantly worsened to the extent that he can no longer walk. He’s battling malaria pneumonia, and the emotional strain of his detention is immense. Now, he seems to be at a critical stage with little hope for recovery.

Previously an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) employee and currently head of financial crime compliance at Binance, Gambaryan was apprehended in Abuja in February, following a visit he made to Nigeria’s capital city upon the government’s request. Initially, both Gambaryan and another Binance executive, Nadeem Anjarwalla (a British-Kenyan national), were placed under house arrest without providing any reason. However, when Anjarwalla managed to escape in March, Gambaryan was moved to the notorious Kuje prison, where he has been confined for the past five months.

Following his move to Kuje, Gambaryan faced accusations of tax evasion and money laundering, appearing to serve as a fall guy for his company, which Nigerian authorities have unprovenly implicated in devaluing the naira. The tax evasion allegations against Gambaryan were ultimately dismissed, however, he remains under trial for money laundering since June; this trial was temporarily halted in July when the judiciary took a break. He maintains his innocence regarding all charges brought against him.

Under the challenging circumstances of Kuje Prison, where even Boko Haram detainees are held, my own health condition has significantly deteriorated. In May, I was compelled to collapse in court due to malaria, and by June, I was wheeled into court. As relayed by my family, a herniated disc in my back has caused me unbearable pain and rendered me incapable of walking.

Now, his wife says Gambaryan needs immediate medical treatment or “risks permanent damage.”

The predicament of Gambaryan has drawn interest from certain members of Congress, such as Rep. French Hill (R-Ark.) and Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-Penn.). They visited Gambaryan in prison in June and advocated for his immediate compassionate release. In the same month, a band of legislators penned a letter to U.S. President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger D. Carstens, urging them to classify Gambaryan’s case as a hostage situation and facilitate his return to the United States.

To date, there has been no public comment from the U.S. Government regarding Gambaryan’s situation. Initially, the State Department acknowledged reports of his detention in March, but did not specifically name him. Later, a White House representative redirected queries from CoinDesk to the State Department, following repeated requests for comment.

“Yuki Gambaryan stated in a video message that for six months, his life has been a constant barrage of appeals. Appeals to the Nigerian and U.S. governments, appeals to the media, and appeals to anyone who would listen. He has been appealing for compassion, for comprehension, for their human qualities.”

“Please help me bring my husband home.”