In a dramatic turn of events, Tigran Gambaryan, the head of crime compliance at Binance, has been seen struggling in a new courtroom video while pleading for assistance.
Gambaryan, who has been detained in Nigeria since February, was filmed limping into an Abuja courtroom on Monday, dragging his left leg behind him after being denied a wheelchair by prison authorities.
The video, posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday afternoon, shows a visibly distressed Gambaryan asking a prison guard for help. “I’m not okay, this is fcked up,” Gambaryan can be heard saying in the video. He clutches the guard’s wrist for support, but the guard pulls away, leaving Gambaryan to manage with just a single crutch.
“He was told not to help me,” Gambaryan says to onlookers. “He said there’s instruction – this is fx&%@* up. Why couldn’t I use a goddamn wheelchair? This is a show. I’m a fx&%@* innocent person. Why are you doing this to me?”
As Gambaryan struggles to walk, he turns back to the guard and says, “I can’t fx&%g walk, my spine is – this is fx&%g up. I’m a fcking human.”
Gambaryan’s lawyers filed a new bail application on Monday, citing severe health issues that have arisen during his detention. The application urges the court to release him for medical treatment, as he has developed malaria, pneumonia, tonsillitis, and complications from a herniated disc in his back, which has left him in severe pain.
A spokesperson for Gambaryan’s family stated that some of his medical records were presented in court but were incomplete, with key elements such as an MRI scan missing. The spokesperson also reported that Gambaryan had been denied adequate medical care, access to his lawyers, and U.S. embassy staff.
A prosecutor from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which is handling Gambaryan’s case, opposed the bail application. The prosecutor claimed Gambaryan was not as ill as reported and accused him of refusing treatment.
Gambaryan’s previous bail request was denied in May. His current situation remains dire as he continues to suffer from his medical conditions in Kuje prison, known for its harsh conditions.
Gambaryan, a former U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) agent and Binance’s head of financial crime compliance, was detained in Abuja after traveling to Nigeria at the government’s invitation.
Initially, Gambaryan and his colleague Nadeem Anjarwalla, Binance’s regional manager for Africa, were placed under house arrest. However, following Anjarwalla’s mysterious escape in March, Gambaryan was moved to Kuje prison.
Gambaryan has been charged with money laundering and was previously accused of tax evasion, although the latter charges were later dropped. Despite the gravity of the charges, Gambaryan has consistently pleaded not guilty. His trial for money laundering has been ongoing since June, with no resolution in sight.
