Over the weekend, Telegram CEO Pavel Durov was arrested in France, bringing the mysterious founder into the limelight.
The warrant pertaining to Telegram’s lack of moderation led to the Saturday detention of Russian-born Durov at Paris’s Bourget Airport.
Prosecutor Laure Beccuau of France stated in a statement on Monday that among the charges against him are claims that his platform helped money launderers, fraudsters, drug dealers, and individuals who disseminated sexual content including children. Durov is allegedly accused of withholding “information or documents” pertaining to the inquiry, Beccuau added.
According to French prosecutors, Durov was placed under formal investigation on Wednesday and would not be permitted to leave the country. This action does not, in and of itself, imply guilt in the eyes of the French legal system, but rather represents the next step in a thorough official investigation. He has been placed under judicial supervision, his bail set at $5.56 million, and he has to report to the French police station twice a week for the duration of his stay in the nation.
The app has come under increased scrutiny for being used by far-right extremists and terrorist organizations, which is why Durov was arrested.
A discussion concerning free speech rights and accountability for illegal content on the internet has been spurred by Durov’s detention.
However, Durov’s arrest was “in no way a political decision,” according to a statement made by French President Emmanuel Macron and posted to X on Monday.
Durov’s arrest, according to the Paris prosecutor’s office on Monday, is a part of an extensive investigation into a variety of illegal activities that began on July 8 on Telegram and involves a total of 12 counts.
Telegram claims that Durov has “nothing to hide” and that it complies with EU law.
The billionaire CEO and founder of Telegram, Durov, was born in the Soviet Union in 1984.
In 2013, Durov founded Telegram. In addition to being a French citizen, he currently resides in Dubai, the location of Telegram’s headquarters.
Along with being the CEO of Telegram, Durov also says that over the last 15 years, he has donated sperm to father over 100 children.
Durov and his brother Nikolai founded the encrypted communications platform Telegram in 2013. According to a tweet made by Durov last month, the app currently has over 950 million users, making it one of the most popular messaging services globally.
In many countries, the platform has become indispensable for several purposes, ranging from daily communication and photo and document sharing to spreading official announcements.
Due to the encrypted nature of the service, both Telegram and law authorities are unable to monitor what users publish.
Telegram’s privacy features have made it a valuable communication tool in nations like Russia, Iran, and India where there are restrictions on free speech. The app is also well-liked in Ukraine, where it is now an essential resource for disseminating information regarding air raid alerts and combat news.
However, because of the same security measures, the platform has also become popular among terrorist organizations, drug dealers, and money launderers.
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