2024-08-26 03:04:23
Paris: Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of the Telegram messaging app, was arrested at Paris’ Le Bourget airport on Saturday evening. French media outlets TF1 and BFM TV, citing unnamed sources, reported that Durov was detained upon arriving in France by a private jet. French authorities had issued an arrest warrant against Pavel. Durov, 39, is accused of lax content moderation at Telegram, which police claim led to the platform being used to share material related to money laundering, drug trafficking and child sexual abuse.
Can be sentenced to 20 years
Telegram has not yet commented on the situation. The French Interior Ministry and police have also remained silent. According to a TMF1 report, Durov was arrested after arriving by plane from Azerbaijan at 8 pm French time. The arrest warrant against Durov was valid only on French soil. The billionaire businessman has generally avoided traveling to France and Europe to avoid arrest. At the moment, it is not known why he was to land in France. He faces charges of terrorism, drug supply, fraud, money laundering and others. TMF1 claimed that Durov could face up to 20 years in prison on these charges.
Who is Pavel Durov?
Russian-born Pavel Durov founded Telegram in 2013. The platform quickly gained fame for its emphasis on privacy, encryption and free speech. Pavel Durov often opposed government control over Telegram. The Telegram app has become an important source of information in Russia, Ukraine and former Soviet republics. It is widely used by authorities on both sides in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Durov’s escape from Russia
Durov left Russia in 2014 when the government pressured him to shut down dissident voices on his former platform VK. He later sold the platform. In 2017, he set up Telegram and based himself in Dubai. Russian and French media say he acquired French citizenship in 2021. Throughout Telegram’s history, Durov has consistently resisted government pressure to censor content or provide backdoor access. This has strengthened his image as a defender of free speech.
How much wealth does Durov have?
Forbes estimates Durov’s wealth at $15.5 billion. In an interview with American journalist Tucker Carlson in April, Durov talked about moving out of Russia and looking for a home for the company. This included working in Berlin, London, Singapore and San Francisco. He said that he would prefer to be independent rather than taking orders from anyone. In the same interview, Durov said that apart from money or bitcoin, he does not have any big assets like real estate, jets or yachts because he wants to remain independent.