Tigran Gambaryan Has Left Nigeria Following Months-Long Detention

Binance's Tigran Gambaryan has left Nigeria, a family spokesperson confirmed to CoinDesk on Thursday. After spending eight months detained in the country, he was allowed to leave Kuje prison last night, a day after local prosecutors announced charges against him would be dropped.

He was detained in February by regulators in the country before being locked in Kuje prison, where violent criminals like members of the terrorist group Boko Haram are placed. His applications for bail were denied, but his release to receive medical attention abroad was approved Wednesday.

The charges brought against him by the Nigerian Economic and Financial Crimes Commission were dropped in court in Abuja yesterday, said a statement from a spokesperson for Gambaryan's family.

“The government has reviewed the case and, taken into consideration that the second defendant (Mr. Gambaryan) is an employee of the first defendant (Binance Holdings Limited), whose status in the matter has more impact than the second defendant’s, and also taking into consideration some critical international and diplomatic reasons, the state seeks to discontinue the case against the second defendant,” the EFCC prosecutor stated in court.