On September 13, two senior US State Department officials revealed that the US government is urging Nigerian officials to release Binance executive Tigran Gambaryan. Gambaryan's lawyers are lobbying the State Department to designate his detention as "wrongful imprisonment." Gambaryan was arrested in Nigeria in February, and after seven months in prison, is facing serious health issues.

This detention has become a significant factor impacting US-Nigerian diplomatic relations. In May, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with his Nigerian counterpart about the matter. Other US diplomats, including the US ambassador to Nigeria, have privately appealed to the Nigerian president, finance minister, justice minister, and trade minister for Gambaryan's release.

Gambaryan arrived in Nigeria in February to discuss Binance's operations with local officials. Nigerian authorities accuse Binance of causing the Naira's collapse by allowing users to transfer funds out of the local currency, thereby harming Nigeria's economy. Authorities charged Gambaryan and Binance with tax evasion and money laundering. The tax charges have been dropped, but the other charges remain.

Gambaryan appeared in court last week to apply for bail, seeking treatment. If granted, he would be released pending his trial in October. He denies all wrongdoing.