‘Let my husband go’ — wife of Binance executive asks EFCC to drop charges

Yuki Gambaryan, wife of Tigran, the Binance executive detained in Nigeria, has asked the Economic and Financial Crimes (EFCC) to drop the charges against her husband.

On June 14, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) dropped the tax charges against Gambaryan who is also Binance’s head of financial crime compliance.

However, the EFCC is yet to drop its charges.

The anti-graft body had arraigned Binance Holdings Limited, a cryptocurrency firm, and Gambaryan, over allegations of money laundering.

The company and its executive were arraigned on a five-count charge before Emeka Nwite, judge of a federal high court in Abuja, on April 8.

Expressing her disappointment with the ongoing legal proceedings in a statement on Thursday, Yuki called on the government of the United States to secure her husband’s release.

“Since the FIRS charges were dropped last week and they agreed to serve those charges solely on Binance, I do not see why the EFCC cannot do the same,” the statement reads.

“It is time for the Nigerian authorities to do the right thing and let my innocent husband go.

“I am also once again calling on the US government to intervene more forcefully. Tigran’s and my own tax dollars get sent to Nigeria in aid every year. Nigeria is supposed to be an ally.

“I refuse to believe that our state department cannot do more to have an innocent American citizen released.”

Yuki’s statement followed the start of the cross-examination of the witness from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) at the court in Abuja today. The cross-examination is expected to continue tomorrow.