Pavel Durov, the CEO of Telegram, has been indicted in France for allegedly permitting criminal activity on the app, leading to his placement under judicial supervision and a travel ban within the country.
Durov paid a 5 million euro bail to avoid imprisonment and must check in with the police twice a week.
Driving the news: The indictment came shortly after Durov’s arrest at Le Bourget airport outside Paris on August 24. French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed the arrest, which is linked to ongoing investigations.
- Durov is accused of being passive regarding cyber and financial crimes on the Telegram platform.
The big picture: The charges against Durov involve allegations of child pornography, drug trafficking, and fraudulent transactions taking place on Telegram.
- Macron said the arrest was not politically motivated, emphasizing France’s commitment to freedom of expression, innovation and enterprise.
The backstory: Telegram, founded in 2013, has become one of the most popular messaging apps globally, boasting 800 million active users with a significant presence in Russia and Ukraine.
- The platform prioritizes user privacy and security through features like end-to-end encryption.
- Durov was born in Russia in 1984, founded Russian social network VKontakte but departed the company in 2014 after pressure from the Russian government.
- Following his exit from VK, Durov established Telegram, gaining immense wealth and influence. His commitment to free speech and resistance to government censorship has attracted activists and journalists to the platform.
