Two senior officials from the U.S. State Department have revealed that the U.S. government is urging Nigerian officials to release Binance executive Tigran Gambaryan. Gambaryan's lawyers are pressuring the U.S. State Department to classify his detention as "wrongful." Gambaryan was arrested in Nigeria in February and has been in prison for seven months, facing serious health concerns. This detention has become a significant factor influencing U.S.-Nigerian diplomatic relations. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with the Nigerian Foreign Minister about the matter in May. Other U.S. diplomats, including the U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, have privately appealed to the Nigerian president, finance minister, justice minister, and trade minister to release Gambaryan. Gambaryan arrived in Nigeria in February to discuss Binance's operations with local officials. Nigerian authorities accuse Binance of causing the Naira's devaluation by allowing users to transfer funds out of the local currency, thereby damaging the Nigerian economy. Authorities charged Gambaryan and Binance with tax evasion and money laundering. The tax charges have since been dropped, but other charges remain. Gambaryan appeared in court last week seeking bail to receive medical treatment. If granted, he would be released pending his trial, scheduled for October. He denies all wrongdoing. (The Block)