Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of Telegram, got arrested. The arrest happened while he was arriving from Azerbaijan at Le Bourget Airport near Paris, France. The agents of France’s National Anti-Fraud Office detained him. An initial investigation on drug trafficking, money laundering, and the distribution of child sexual abuse content on the platform led to his warrant.
The investigation is led by France’s OFMIN (Office for Preventing Violence Against Minors).They focus on how Telegram’s lack of content filtering contributes to criminal activity. Durov, 39, was travelling on a private jet. He was with a woman and his bodyguard at the time of his arrest. There are doubts regarding his decision to fly to France. As, reports suggest he was aware of the arrest warrant, which is only enforceable within French territory.
Durov will be appearing in court on Sunday. He may face multiple charges such as participation in organized crimes and encouraging terrorism. An investigator from France’s National Anti-Fraud Office (ONAF) says, “Pavel Durov will end up in pre-trial detention, that’s certain…on his platform.” He also placed Durov in custody. According to him, Durov is not being moderate or cooperative about it. He also says, “He enabled countless offenses and crimes to be committed.”
In 2013, Durov established Telegram. It became well-known for its emphasis on encryption and privacy. The very advantage that was once seen as beneficial later turned into a drawback. Due to the platform’s rising appeal to criminal organizations and extremist groups, some governments including France strengthened their inspection of it.
As of now, both Telegram and the French police remain silent on this matter. They have yet to comment on this arrest. As, the Russian born entrepreneur holds citizenship in both Russia and United Arab Emirates. The Russian foreign ministry is reportedly seeking the clarification about the circumstances regarding his detention.
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