Family of Binance executive detained in Nigeria say they have suspected malaria

According to a spokesman for the family, Tigran Gabayan has not been transferred from Kouye Prison to a hospital despite a court order issued by Judge Imeika Nweite on Thursday, May 23. The family of Tigran Gabayan, Binance's head of criminal compliance, told CoinDesk that the U.S. citizen has been detained in a Nigerian jail for more than two months, facing charges of money laundering and tax evasion. Tigran Gabayan collapsed in a Nigerian court on May 24, facing charges of tax evasion and money laundering along with Binance. A spokesman for the family said that Tigran has not yet been transferred from Couye prison to a hospital, and due to insufficient medical facilities in Couye prison, his condition has not been officially confirmed, and it is suspected that he is suffering from a severe throat infection and malaria.

 Tigran Gabayan, a US citizen, was supposed to be invited by Nigerian authorities to resolve the dispute between the government and Binance, but after meeting with government officials, he and another Binance executive, Natim Angarwala, were taken away by law enforcement. Angarwala later escaped, but was still charged with money laundering. Tigran's wife, Yuki Gabayan, said in a statement to CoinDesk that she was shocked and heartbroken by the authorities' failure to enforce the court order. She says: "Tigran does not deserve this inhumane treatment, he has done nothing wrong to suffer for accepting the invitation to a meeting in Abuja, things have gone too far, and I plead with everyone who can help, including our own US government, to recognize that an innocent life is at stake." Please at least let him go to the hospital to recover, but more importantly let him come back to us."

According to local news reports, hearings on the tax violations and money laundering charges are scheduled for June 14 and June 20, respectively.