French media reported on Saturday that Pavel Durov, the co-founder and CEO of messaging app Telegram, has been detained.
The Paris prosecutor’s office told NPR that a statement regarding the case would be released Monday.
Several French press sources have claimed that Durov was detained by law enforcement officers at Le Bourget airport outside Paris when he arrived on his private plane from Azerbaijan.
According to AFP, an arrest warrant has been filed for Durov following an investigation into whether he was involved in illegal activities such as drug trafficking, promoting terrorism and Telegram fraud. Action taken or not.
According to French daily Le Monde, the investigation is looking into whether Durov has resisted cooperating with law enforcement authorities on matters such as child pornography and cyber scams on Telegram.
In a statement released Sunday, Telegram said its CEO, Pavel Durov, “has nothing to hide and travels frequently to Europe.” “It is absurd to claim that the platform or its owner is responsible for misuse of that platform.”
The corporation added that its “moderation is within industry standards and is continuously improving” and that it complies with EU rules.
In a statement, the Russian embassy in France said it had requested that Durov’s rights be upheld and that he be allowed access to consular services, as well as an explanation for his detention.
Durov, a 39-year-old Russian billionaire, holds dual citizenship of France and the United Arab Emirates. He is the founder of Telegram, a messaging app with nearly 1 billion users worldwide based in Dubai.
He has been known as “Russia’s Mark Zuckerberg” since he founded VKontakte in 2007, which translates to “in touch” in Russian. This Facebook clone quickly became the most popular social network in the country.
Telegram was founded in 2013 by Durov and his brother Nikolai. A year later, Pavel Durov left Russia after refusing to give Russian authorities access to information about V members in Ukraine.
Cryptocurrency enthusiasts embraced Telegram when it initially launched, and it has since become one of the most used chat apps worldwide. It has become the go-to source for uncensored news about the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine.
Researchers are concerned about Telegram’s slowness in content moderation because they have found that extremism, misinformation, and illegal behavior such as drug sales and child pornography are often not prevented.
In a March interview with the Financial Times, Telegram’s CEO addressed the idea that the company may have ties to the Kremlin, calling it “false.” It was the first time since 2017 that the CEO spoke to the media.
Durov often posts nude photos on Instagram, showing off his toned body while posing in infinity pools or amidst desert environments.
Ada Spark is a tech explorer and creative content creator with 6+ years of experience. Appreciate teamwork and creative strategies to promote content. Always looking to work according to the latest trends and create content that makes a difference. Also familiar with infographics and other forms of content.
