Health of detained Binance executive deteriorates in Nigerian prison, wife says

By Camillus Eboh

ABUJA (Reuters) - The health of detained Binance executive, Tigran Gambaryan, has deteriorated in a Nigerian prison where he faces money laundering charges, his wife said on Monday.

Binance, the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange, and two of its executives - Gambaryan, a U.S. citizen and head of financial crime compliance, and Nadeem Anjarwalla, a British-Kenyan who is a regional manager for Africa - have been charged with laundering over $35 million.

In a separate charge, Binance is facing a case of tax evasion.

Both Binance and Gambaryan have denied the charges. Anjarwalla escaped custody and left Nigeria before the trial commenced.

"His health is in a shockingly bad condition and getting worse by the day," Gambaryan's wife, Yuki Gambaryan, said in a statement.

"The herniated disc in his back has worsened to the point where it might leave permanent damage and affect his ability to walk," Yuki Gambaryan's statement read.

She said her husband had been denied access to his lawyers since July 26.

The prison service, the Nigerian Correctional Service, did not respond to calls.

Binance said in March it would stop all transactions and trading in Nigeria's local currency following a country-wide crackdown on crypto exchanges that authorities have blamed for fuelling demand for U.S. dollars on the black market.

Trial judge Emeka Nwite ordered a medical report after Gambaryan appeared in court in Abuja in a wheelchair last month from Kuje maximum security prison located on the outskirts of the capital. But the medical report was not submitted, according to the court hearing.

The judge ordered that Gambaryan be admitted to a hospital for 24 hours for medical diagnosis and treatment.

He adjourned Gambaryan's trial to Oct. 11.

(Reporting by Camillus Eboh; Editing by Chijioke Ohuocha and Ros Russell)