French Authorities Detain Telegram's Founder Durov
Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, has reportedly been arrested at Paris-Le Bourget Airport, according to local media sources. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Pavel Durov, the Russian founder of the messaging app Telegram, has been taken into custody after arriving in Paris on a private jet, as reported by local broadcaster LCI.
The report indicates that Durov, who acquired a French passport in 2021, was arrested at Paris-Le Bourget Airport around 8 PM local time. He also holds citizenship in the UAE, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and his home country of Russia.
His private jet flew into the French capital from Azerbaijan, and the 39-year-old was reportedly accompanied by a woman and his bodyguard.
According to LCI, French authorities have issued an arrest warrant for Durov as part of a preliminary investigation. They suspect that insufficient moderation on Telegram, along with its encryption capabilities and an alleged lack of cooperation with law enforcement, may render Durov complicit in serious offenses, including drug trafficking, pedophilia, and fraud.
Another broadcaster, TF1, stated that Durov is scheduled to appear before a judge on Sunday evening and could potentially face a prison term of up to 20 years.
As a French citizen, Durov may additionally encounter allegations related to violations of sanctions imposed on Moscow by the EU due to his connections in Russia.
It's noted that the arrest warrant is only valid within France. A source close to the investigation informed TF1-LCI, “He made a mistake tonight. We don’t know why. In any case, he’s locked up.”
James del Carmen contributed to this report for TROIB News
The report indicates that Durov, who acquired a French passport in 2021, was arrested at Paris-Le Bourget Airport around 8 PM local time. He also holds citizenship in the UAE, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and his home country of Russia.
His private jet flew into the French capital from Azerbaijan, and the 39-year-old was reportedly accompanied by a woman and his bodyguard.
According to LCI, French authorities have issued an arrest warrant for Durov as part of a preliminary investigation. They suspect that insufficient moderation on Telegram, along with its encryption capabilities and an alleged lack of cooperation with law enforcement, may render Durov complicit in serious offenses, including drug trafficking, pedophilia, and fraud.
Another broadcaster, TF1, stated that Durov is scheduled to appear before a judge on Sunday evening and could potentially face a prison term of up to 20 years.
As a French citizen, Durov may additionally encounter allegations related to violations of sanctions imposed on Moscow by the EU due to his connections in Russia.
It's noted that the arrest warrant is only valid within France. A source close to the investigation informed TF1-LCI, “He made a mistake tonight. We don’t know why. In any case, he’s locked up.”
James del Carmen contributed to this report for TROIB News
