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French authorities have charged Telegram CEO Pavel Durov with crimes including child pornography, drug trafficking, and hacking software distribution. He was released on €5 million bail but restricted from leaving France. Durov is subject to court monitoring and must report to police twice a week, potentially for months or years.
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French authorities have charged Telegram CEO Pavel Durov with multiple crimes, including complicity in distributing child pornography, illegal drugs, and hacking software. Durov is also accused of failing to cooperate with investigations into illegal activities on the Telegram messaging app.
On Wednesday, a French court released Durov on a €5 million bail, but restricted him from leaving the country. The charges stem from a larger investigation into Telegram’s alleged role in facilitating criminal activity. Durov, a Russian billionaire, was initially detained by French authorities last Saturday upon arriving at a Paris airport.
As a condition of the investigation, Durov is subject to “court monitoring” and must report to a police station twice a week. This legal process could potentially span months or even years, according to The WSJ. Unless the charges are dropped, Durov, known for his international mobility and remote work practices, will be confined to France for the foreseeable future.
Telegram has previously defended its founder, calling the charges “absurd” and arguing that he should not be held accountable for the actions of the app’s users. The company stated that the CEO had nothing to hide after he was arrested, saying it is “absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform.” Telegram also noted that almost a billion users globally use the app as a means of communication and a source of vital information, and is awaiting a prompt resolution of the situation.
