Paris, France – Pavel Durov, the 39-year-old founder and chief of Telegram, has been charged in France with a range of violations related to the messaging app. He was banned from leaving the country while being granted conditional release after four days in custody.
Durov, who was arrested at Le Bourget airport near Paris late Saturday, faces multiple charges including failing to curb extremist and illegal content on Telegram. These charges include “complicity in the administration of an online platform to enable an illicit transaction,” as well as refusing to provide required documents and allegations of disseminating child pornography, drug trafficking, fraud, and money laundering.
Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau confirmed that Durov’s release is conditional upon a bail of five million euros. He must also report to a police station twice a week and remain within France.
Durov’s lawyer, David-Olivier Kaminski, criticized the charges as “absurd,” asserting that Telegram adheres to European regulations concerning digital technology.
In addition to these charges, Durov is under investigation for “serious acts of violence” towards one of his children while in Paris. This investigation follows a separate complaint filed by the child’s mother in Switzerland last year.
Durov, who founded Telegram while leaving Russia a decade ago, has seen the app’s user base grow to over 900 million. Despite his wealth, estimated at $15.5 billion by Forbes, Durov is known for his ascetic lifestyle, including ice baths and abstinence from alcohol and coffee.
He holds citizenship in Russia, France, and the United Arab Emirates, where Telegram is headquartered.
