Telegram CEO Pavel Durov Arrested in France Over Alleged Criminal Activities Facilitation

Pavel Durov, the billionaire founder and CEO of Telegram, was arrested on Saturday evening at Bourget Airport near Paris, according to reports from French news outlets TF1 and BFM TV. The arrest was executed under a French warrant related to a preliminary police investigation into Telegram's alleged role in facilitating criminal activities. Durov, who was traveling on his private jet from Azerbaijan, was detained by the Air Transport Gendarmerie upon his arrival in France. The arrest, carried out under a search warrant issued by the OFMIN of the French judicial police, marks a significant development in ongoing investigations into Telegram’s involvement in crimes such as terrorism, narcotics trafficking, and fraud. Sources close to the investigation revealed that Durov’s detention was activated as soon as he set foot on French soil, with his name listed in the wanted persons file (FPR). French authorities accuse Telegram of allowing an "incalculable number of offences and crimes" to be committed on its platform, without adequate moderation or cooperation with law enforcement.

The arrest has sparked reactions worldwide, particularly given Durov’s history of defying government control. American conservative commentator Tucker Carlson took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his views, noting the irony of Durov's detention by a Western country after he had previously fled Russia for refusing to censor opposition on his VK social media platform. Carlson stated, "Pavel Durov left Russia when the government tried to control his social media company, Telegram. But in the end, it wasn’t Putin who arrested him for allowing the public to exercise free speech. It was a Western country, a Biden administration ally and enthusiastic NATO member, that locked him away."

The arrest has also had a significant impact on the cryptocurrency market, with the price of toncoin (TON) plummeting by 13% following the news. Toncoin, linked to the Durov brothers, was part of a blockchain project launched in 2019 as a support system for Telegram’s massive user base. Telegram, which was founded by Durov in 2013 and is now based in Dubai, has grown to become one of the most widely used messaging platforms globally, boasting 900 million active users. Durov, who has a reported net worth of $15.5 billion according to Forbes, has consistently maintained that Telegram should remain a neutral platform, free from political influence. As the situation unfolds, many are watching closely to see how this arrest will impact the future of Telegram and its role in global communication. Durov's detention serves as a stark reminder of the growing tension between tech platforms and governments, as debates over free speech, censorship, and security continue to intensify.