Telegram CEO Pavel Durov Arrested in France Amid Criminal Activity Probe

Pavel Durov, founder and CEO of Telegram, was arrested at Bourget airport in Paris due to a warrant related to a lack of moderators on his app, which allegedly facilitated criminal activity. The French authorities have not commented on the matter. Telegram has also not responded to inquiries.

Pavel Durov, the billionaire founder and CEO of Telegram, was arrested at the Bourget airport near Paris on Saturday evening, according to unnamed sources cited by TF1 and BFM TV. His private jet had recently arrived from Azerbaijan.

The arrest is connected to a French investigation examining the lack of moderators on Telegram, which police believe has allowed criminal activities to flourish unchecked on the platform. Authorities, including the French Interior Ministry and police, declined to comment, and Telegram has not issued a statement regarding the incident.

Durov, who emigrated from Russia in 2014 after refusing to shut down opposition groups on his VK platform, is worth an estimated $15.5 billion. He has consistently maintained that Telegram should be a neutral platform, free from geopolitical influences.

(With inputs from agencies.)