The Federal High Court in Abuja has rescheduled the trial of Tigran Gambaryan, a Binance executive, to September 2. This change comes after Gambaryan’s legal team requested an earlier date, as the trial was initially set for October 11.
In April, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) charged both Gambaryan and Binance Holdings Limited with money laundering. However, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) dropped its tax charges against Gambaryan on June 14.
Gambaryan had been detained by Nigerian authorities since February 28, along with Nadeem Anjarwalla, Binance’s regional manager for Africa. Anjarwalla has since escaped custody.
Gambaryan’s family reported that since July 26, his lawyers have been denied access to him in prison, preventing them from preparing for his trial. They were briefly allowed to visit on August 15 but have been blocked since then. This lack of access is seen as a violation of the Nigerian constitution.
The U.S. Embassy also no longer has access to Gambaryan, who is unable to use a wheelchair and cannot walk to the visitor area.
The court went into recess on July 16. An application to hear the case during the recess was approved, so the new hearing date is set for September 2.
Gambaryan has missed several significant personal events while in detention, including his son’s fifth birthday, his own 40th birthday, and will soon miss his wife’s birthday and their 15th wedding anniversary.
Yuki Gambaryan, Tigran’s wife, described their ordeal as a “living nightmare” and made a heartfelt plea for mercy. She highlighted the deteriorating health of her husband, who is suffering from malaria, pneumonia, and severe back issues without adequate medical care.
She has called on both the U.S. and Nigerian governments, as well as the media, for help, emphasizing that her husband needs urgent and specialized medical treatment before irreversible damage occurs.