Telegram Founder Pavel Durov Arrested in Paris

Pavel Durov, the 39-year-old Russian billionaire entrepreneur who holds a French passport and is the founder and CEO of Telegram, was arrested on Saturday evening at Le Bourget airport in Paris.

This was reported by French channel LCI/TF1.

Durov, who arrived from Azerbaijan, was detained by the Air Transport Gendarmerie (GTA) under a French search warrant issued by the National Judicial Police Directorate based on a preliminary investigation. He was accompanied by his bodyguard and a woman.

The warrant, valid only on French territory, was issued due to the Justice system’s concerns over Telegram’s lack of moderation and cooperation with law enforcement, which allegedly made Durov complicit in crimes such as drug trafficking, fraud, and distributing pedocriminal content. Following his arrest, Durov was placed in custody and is expected to be presented to an investigative judge, with possible charges anticipated.