Who Is Pavel Durov? Telegram CEO faces criminal charges in France over illegal content on app
Pavel Durov
on Monday, July 28, on the platform's possible involvement in illegal activities, according to people familiar with the case.
Due to unlawful content on his well-known messaging service, Durov, 40, was arrested in Paris in 2024 and is currently the subject of an official investigation by French police. The Russian-born businessman was questioned for the third time since he was accused with many offences related to aiding organised crime when he arrived at the Paris tribunal on Monday morning.
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In 2014, facing Russian pressure and disagreements within the firm's new owners, Pavel decided to depart from the company. Pavel had already founded Telegram, a year back, in 2013. The headquarters of Telegram is in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and Nikolai Durov (his brother) shifted there in 2017.
Pavel Durol's organized crime allegations
With allegations ranging from child sex abuse photographs and being part of an online transaction permitting illegal transactions, Durov faced multiple issues in his home country Russia, and then France, in August 28, 2024, where the cases were charged. Ironically, he has citizenship in both countries.
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French anti-fraud investigators arrested Durov from his flight from Azerbaijan on August 24, 2024. The arrest took place based on an arrest warrant from the French judicial police alleging 12 criminal offences committed by Telegram.
On August 28, Durov appeared before a prosecutor in court, who formally filed six allegations against him, including providing cryptology services, complicity in illegal conduct, and refusing to communicate when asked to do so by authorised authorities.
Durov was freed from custody that same day and placed under judicial supervision, with the stipulations that he post bail of five million euros, be prohibited from leaving France, and appear at the police station twice a week.
Pavel Durov faces possible 10-year sentence in France
The maximum punishment for one of the counts against Durov is ten years in prison and a €500,000 fine. After official accusations were brought against him, Durov was freed on bond and prohibited from leaving France until the issue was settled.
According to reports, Durov has previously shunned trips to Europe because of possible legal ramifications.
Le Canard enchaîné reports that Durov's staff refuted his arrest-related assertion that he had gone to Paris to have dinner with French President Emmanuel Macron.
A request for comment was not answered by Durov or his solicitors, who have refuted the allegations.
Durov denied developing Telegram for illegal purposes during his initial interrogation in December 2024, although he did admit that there was an increasing number of criminals using the app and promised to improve moderation.
Sources with knowledge of organised crime investigations told AFP that since Durov's arrest, French legal authorities have observed an increase in collaboration with Telegram.
Durov's legal team challenges charges in EU and French courts
After being initially prohibited from leaving France, Durov's court control was loosened in early July, enabling him to spend no more than two weeks at a time in the United Arab Emirates.
According to a person familiar with the matter, Durov's attorneys have submitted requests to the Paris Appeals Court to have the accusations dropped.
According to the same source, the attorneys have also requested a preliminary ruling from the top court of the European Union and filed a legal challenge in France to test the case's constitutionality.
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