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It is alleged he was arrested for lack of moderation on Telegram and not complying with Law Enforcement agencies.




TF1/LCI INFO: Founder and CEO of Telegram messaging service arrested in France

byAntoine LLORCA with Raphaël Maillochon
Published on August 24, 2024 at 10:24 p.m., updated on August 25, 2024 at 12:17 a.m.
Source: 8 p.m. WE news

According to our information, the founder and CEO of the secure messaging service Telegram was arrested this Saturday evening at Le Bourget airport.
Pavel Durov, a 39-year-old French-Russian, was accompanied by his bodyguard and a woman.
Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of encrypted messaging service Telegram, was arrested around 8pm this Saturday evening as he got off his private jet on the tarmac at Le Bourget airport. Aged 39, this Franco-Russian was accompanied by his bodyguard and a woman.

The arrest was carried out by the gendarmes of the GTA (Air Transport Gendarmerie). Filed in the FPR (wanted persons file), Pavel Durov had arrived straight from Azerbaijan. He had above his head a French search warrant issued by the OFMIN of the national directorate of the French judicial police, issued on the basis of a preliminary investigation.

Why was he under threat of a search warrant?
Justice considers that the lack of moderation, cooperation with law enforcement and the tools offered by Telegram (disposable number, cryptocurrencies, etc.) make it an accomplice in drug trafficking, pedocriminal offences and fraud.

This search warrant ran if, and only if, Pavel Durov was on national territory. "He made a mistake this evening. We don't know why... Was this theft just a stage? In any case, he's safe!" , slips a source close to the investigation to TF1/LCI. Since he knew he was persona non grata in France, Pavel Durov had the habit of traveling to the Emirates, to the countries of the former USSR, to South America... He traveled very little in Europe and avoided the countries where Telegram is under surveillance.

And now ?
Investigators from ONAF (National Anti-Fraud Office attached to the customs department) notified him and placed him in police custody. He should be presented to an investigating judge this Saturday evening before a possible indictment on Sunday for a multitude of offenses: terrorism, narcotics, complicity, fraud, money laundering, receiving stolen goods, child criminal content, etc.

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“Pavel Durov will end up in pre-trial detention, that’s certain ,” comments an investigator with TF1/LCI. “On his platform, he allowed countless offenses and crimes to be committed for which he did nothing to moderate or cooperate ,” analyzes a source close to the matter.

His pre-trial detention following his indictment is in fact beyond any doubt. Pavel Durov, billionaire, has substantial means to escape and his guarantees of representation will hardly convince the judges.

A dragnet with international resonance
For investigators, this internationally resonant dragnet has various objectives. First, it makes it possible to kick in the anthill, impress and dissuade the perpetrators of crimes and misdemeanors who exchange, until now freely, on Telegram. Then, they aim to put pressure on European countries to increase joint work to reduce secure messaging on terrorist issues.

Indeed, Telegram is a hive for criminal content. Currently, the platform is in the news with the illegal broadcast of Ligue 1 matches. But on this encrypted messaging, many accounts are used by organized crime. Beyond terrorism, the most dangerous child criminals communicate on Telegram to exchange content. “For years, it has become THE number 1 platform for organized crime ,” comments an investigator.