French authorities detained Pavel Durov, the CEO and co-founder of Telegram, at Le Bourget airport near Paris.
The 39-year-old Franco-Russian billionaire was arrested on Saturday evening for alleged offenses related to his popular messaging app, according to French media reports.
France’s OFMIN, an agency dedicated to preventing violence against minors, issued an arrest warrant for Durov. The warrant arises from a preliminary investigation into suspected offenses, including fraud, drug trafficking, cyberbullying, organized crime, and the promotion of terrorism. Authorities accuse Durov of failing to take sufficient action to curb criminal activities on his platform.
OFMIN focused on the misuse of Telegram for illicit activities involving minors. The agency’s investigation led them to pursue charges against Durov based on the platform’s alleged shortcomings in preventing such crimes.
On Sunday, Telegram released a statement asserting that the company complies with EU laws, including the Digital Services Act. The statement highlighted that Pavel Durov frequently travels in Europe and has nothing to hide. Telegram dismissed the claims against Durov and the platform as “absurd.”
Durov founded Telegram in 2013 after leaving Russia in 2014, following his ouster from VKontakte, a popular Russian social networking site he co-founded. He refused to hand over users’ data to the Kremlin, prompting his departure from the country.
In a 2016 interview with “60 Minutes,” Durov expressed concern over Telegram being used by terrorist groups like the Islamic State. However, he maintained his commitment to privacy, stating, “Encryption is either secure or not,” and warned that making exceptions for law enforcement would endanger the private communications of hundreds of millions of people.
Durov is expected to appear in court on Sunday following his arrest. The French Interior Ministry and police have not provided any official comments on the matter. An investigator involved in the case stated, “Enough of Telegram’s impunity,” expressing surprise that Durov came to Paris despite being a wanted man.
The arrest of Telegram’s CEO raises questions about the platform’s stance on privacy and its efforts to curb criminal activities. As the investigation continues, the outcome may significantly impact Telegram and its future operations in Europe.
