Pavel Durov at the TechCrunch conference in Berlin, 2013 (Wikipedia)
Pavel Durov, the Franco-Russian founder and CEO of the encrypted messaging service Telegram, was detained Saturday evening as he disembarked from his private jet at Le Bourget airport in Paris. He is wanted in France on charges accusing Durov of complicity in criminal activities such as drug trafficking that take advantage of the anonymity and security his Telegram service provides. The 39-year-old was accompanied by a bodyguard and a female companion.
The arrest was executed by the gendarmes of the GTA (Air Transport Gendarmerie). Durov, who had arrived directly from Azerbaijan, was subject to a French arrest warrant issued by the OFMIN (Office of Financial Crimes and Money Laundering) of the national directorate of the French judicial police, reported French News Channel TF1. The warrant was based on a preliminary investigation.
A “source close to the investigation” told FTI that Durov, “made a blunder this evening. We don’t know why… Was this flight just a stopover? In any case, he’s in custody!”
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FTI explained that French authorities consider that the “lack of moderation, cooperation with law enforcement and the tools offered by Telegram (disposable number, cryptocurrencies, etc.) make it an accomplice in drug trafficking, pedo-criminal offences and fraud. “
“Pavel Durov will end up in pretrial detention, that’s for sure,” commentated an investigator with TF1/LCI. “On his platform, he allowed an incalculable number of offences and crimes to be committed, for which he did nothing to moderate or cooperate.”
Pavel Durov is a prominent Russian entrepreneur and the co-founder and CEO of the popular messaging app, Telegram. He’s often referred to as the “Russian Zuckerberg” due to his role in creating VK, a social networking site that was once Russia’s most popular.
Durov’s most notable achievement is Telegram, a messaging app known for its privacy features, including end-to-end encryption. It has gained significant popularity worldwide, especially among those seeking secure communication.
Pavel Durov is a strong advocate for privacy and has often clashed with governments over censorship and data requests. His commitment to user privacy has been a key factor in Telegram’s success. Due to his stance on privacy and his disagreements with Russian authorities, Durov has lived in exile, primarily in Dubai.
