The founder of Telegram, Pavel Durov, was detained at Paris Le Bourget Airport. He arrived in the French capital on a private jet from Azerbaijan, accompanied by a bodyguard and a woman.
A warrant for his arrest and search was issued because Durov allegedly failed to cooperate with French authorities and did not adequately moderate Telegram, which makes him an accomplice to crimes such as drug trafficking, terrorism, money laundering, child abuse, and so on, reports French TV channel TF1.
Durov has traveled very little around Europe, avoiding countries where Telegram is available and opting for visits to the Emirates or South America instead.
It has been reported that Durov is currently in custody and will likely be formally charged on Sunday.
“Pavel Durov will certainly end up in a detention center,” said an investigator from TF1/LCI.
“On his platform, he allowed countless offenses and crimes to occur without taking any steps to mitigate them,” analyzed a source close to the case.
Media reports indicate that Durov was aware that he could be detained in France, yet he still chose to fly on a private jet through Paris. A refueling was necessary there.
Searches are being conducted at Durov's properties in France. He faces up to 20 years in prison and will stand trial as a French citizen.
French intelligence services will seek access to Telegram messages related to criminal organizations, sanctioned companies, and individuals.
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