Pavel Durov, founder and CEO of the popular messaging app Telegram, was arrested at Paris-Le Bourget airport, located on the outskirts of Paris, France. According to LCI TV channel, the arrest took place at around 8:00 p.m. on August 24 (local time).
Durov, 39, is of Russian descent and a citizen of the UAE, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Russia. Notably, he has also been granted a French passport since 2021. At the time of his arrest, Durov was traveling from Azerbaijan to Paris on a private flight, accompanied by a woman and bodyguard.
French authorities have issued an arrest warrant for Durov following a preliminary investigation, according to sources. The allegations include Telegram’s failure to adequately moderate content, its use of strong encryption tools, and its lack of cooperation with police, raising suspicions that Durov may be complicit in criminal activities such as drug trafficking, child pornography, and fraud.
According to TF1, Durov will appear in court and face a possible prison sentence of up to 20 years. A source close to the investigation said that Durov was aware that France XEM him “persona non grata”. However, the reason why Durov decided to go to Paris remains a mystery.
“He made a mistake tonight. We don’t know why. Was this flight just a stopover or was there another purpose? Either way, he is in custody,” the source said.
Following this news, the price of TON fell 20% to $5.7.
