Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of Telegram’s encrypted messaging service, was arrested around 8 PM this Saturday evening as he disembarked from his private jet at Le Bourget airport. The 39-year-old Franco-Russian, accompanied by his bodyguard and a woman, was apprehended by officers from the Air Transport Gendarmerie. Durov, who was listed in the FPR (wanted persons file), had arrived directly from Azerbaijan. A French search warrant, issued by the OFMIN of the national directorate of the French judicial police based on a preliminary investigation, led to his arrest.
The warrant was related to allegations that Durov’s lack of moderation, cooperation with law enforcement, and the tools offered by Telegram (such as disposable numbers and cryptocurrency) made him complicit in drug trafficking, pedocriminal offenses, and fraud. The warrant was enforceable only if Durov was on French soil, and according to a source close to the investigation, “He made a blunder tonight. We don’t know why… Was this flight just a stopover? In any case, he’s in custody!”
BREAKING: Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, arrested in France and facing 20 years in jail for refusing to censor his platform. The charges include terrorism, money laundering, and more—looks like they’re targeting anyone who defends free speech. pic.twitter.com/vK4u6ae1Gk
— Clown World ™ 🤡 (@ClownWorld_) August 24, 2024
Durov, aware of his persona non grata status in France, had typically traveled to the Emirates, former USSR countries, and South America, avoiding Europe where Telegram was under scrutiny. However, this time, he was taken into custody by investigators from ONAF (National Anti-Fraud Office attached to the Customs Directorate). He is expected to be presented to an investigating judge on Saturday evening, with a possible indictment on Sunday for multiple offenses, including terrorism, narcotics, complicity, fraud, money laundering, receiving stolen goods, and pedocriminal content.
An investigator commented, “Pavel Durov will end up in pretrial detention, that’s for sure.” His substantial wealth and potential to flee leave little room for judges to be convinced by any guarantees of his representation. This high-profile arrest has international implications, serving as a warning to those who have used Telegram for criminal activities. Additionally, it aims to pressure European countries to collaborate more effectively in compelling encrypted messaging services to cooperate in terrorism cases. Telegram has been notorious for hosting criminal content, including the illegal broadcasting of Ligue 1 matches and communications among organized crime groups, with the platform becoming “the number one platform for organized crime” according to investigators.
Via Agencies
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