Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov arrested at French airport; faces 20 years in prison

Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of Telegram, was arrested at Le Bourget airport in Paris after arriving on his private jet, according to the French channel TF1.

The French judicial police’s national directorate, OFMIN, issued an arrest warrant for Durov, who holds both French and Russian citizenship. The charges include lack of cooperation with law enforcement and involvement in drug trafficking, criminal offenses against minors, and fraud, Jerusalem Post reported.

Citing French media, BBC also confirmed Pavel Durov’s arrest, stating:

“Mr Durov was detained after his private jet had landed at Le Bourget Airport, French media reported.
According to officials the 39-year-old had been arrested under a warrant for offences related to the popular messaging app. Russia’s embassy in France is taking “immediate steps” to clarify the situation, according to Russia’s TASS state news agency”

Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Telegram has emerged as a key platform for uncensored information about the conflict, although it has also been used to spread graphic and sometimes misleading content.

Durov created Telegram as an encrypted messaging app, inspired by his own experiences facing pressure from the Russian government. He has consistently dismissed accusations of Russian control over the app, calling them unfounded rumors spread by competitors worried about Telegram’s growing influence.

Telegram Founder and CEO Pavel Durov

Durov has lived in various countries, including Berlin, London, Singapore, and San Francisco, often citing bureaucratic hurdles and security risks as major issues, especially in the U.S. He has spoken of attempts to steal his phone and efforts by U.S. security agencies to recruit him to install a backdoor into Telegram.

However, Durov sees Apple and Google as the biggest threats to free speech, due to their ability to control content on smartphones. He stresses the importance of staying neutral, which led him to choose the United Arab Emirates as a base, valuing its diplomatic neutrality.

Durov describes Telegram as a platform that gives voice to all sides, including both opposition groups and government bodies, without taking a stance. He highlights the importance of open dialogue and expresses his commitment to creating a space that promotes progress and social improvement.

Durov’s personal life reflects his values, as he prefers a minimalist lifestyle, rejecting the traditional symbols of wealth. For him, true wealth is found in personal freedom rather than material goods.

In April, Telegram hit one billion users a year, even as the US pressures the messaging app to spy on its users. The catalyst for Telegram’s surge came in 2021 when WhatsApp, a Facebook-owned entity, faced backlash over its privacy policy updates. This prompted a mass migration of users seeking refuge in more secure communication platforms like Telegram and Signal, pushing Telegram to become the number one most downloaded app in the world.

Originally founded by Durov in Dubai, Telegram emerged following his departure from Russia in 2014 amidst a dispute over censorship demands regarding his VK social media platform.

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