Telegram's CEO Pavel Durov Arrested In Paris Over Allegations Of Enabling Criminal Activities

Pavel Durov, founder and CEO of the messaging service Telegram, who holds dual citizenship in France and Russia, was detained at Paris-Le Bourget Airport on Saturday evening after arriving in France from Azerbaijan.

Durov was detained at a Paris airport under an arrest warrant accusing him of facilitating money laundering, drug trafficking, and other crimes through his platform.

French media reported that the warrant for Durov was issued by France at the request of a specialised unit within the country's interior ministry responsible for investigating crimes against minors.

These crimes include online sexual exploitation, such as the possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material and grooming for sexual purposes.

Telegram was founded by Durov and his brother in response to the Russian government's crackdown following the mass pro-democracy protests that shook Moscow in late 2011 and 2012.

Western governments have criticised Telegram for inadequate content moderation, which experts warn could enable money laundering, drug trafficking, and sharing content linked to child exploitation.

Decode had also covered how Telegram poses significant challenges for Indian police, as cybercriminals exploit the platform’s strong privacy features, such as end-to-end encryption and self-destructing messages, to conduct various illicit activities.