Pavel Durov, the billionaire founder and CEO of Telegram, was arrested at Bourget Airport near Paris on Saturday evening, according to French news outlets TF1 and BFM TV.
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Durov was detained under a French warrant related to an ongoing investigation into Telegram’s alleged involvement in facilitating criminal activities, including terrorism, narcotics trafficking, and fraud.
French authorities accused Telegram of enabling a wide range of illegal activities without adequately moderating or cooperating with law enforcement.
The arrest was carried out under a French search warrant issued by the French judicial police, specifically targeting Durov for his alleged role in facilitating these criminal activities via Telegram.
Details of Durov’s arrest indicate that the warrant was activated as soon as he landed on French soil.
He was taken into custody by the Air Transport Gendarmerie, accompanied by a bodyguard and a woman.
Despite the high-profile nature of the case, Telegram has yet to issue a statement, and French authorities have remained tight-lipped.
The National Anti-Fraud Office (ONAF) is reportedly overseeing the investigation.
This development comes amidst growing scrutiny of Telegram’s role in providing an encrypted platform that, while protecting user privacy, is also vulnerable to misuse by criminal organizations.
