Telegram founder Pavel Durov arrested at French airport
Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of the encrypted messaging app Telegram, was arrested around 8 p.m. on Saturday as he alighted from his private jet at Bourget Airport in Paris.
- World
- Agencies and A News
- Published Date: 02:00 | 25 August 2024
- Modified Date: 02:16 | 25 August 2024
The Franco-Russian billionaire, 39, was detained at Le Bourget airport north of the French capital on Saturday evening, one of the officials told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The 39-year-old Franco-Russian was accompanied by his bodyguard and a woman.
The arrest was carried out by the GTA (Gendarmerie of Air Transport). Durov, who was listed in the FPR (Wanted Persons File), had just arrived from Azerbaijan.
He was subject to a French search warrant issued by the French National Judicial Police, following a preliminary investigation.
The investigation was focused on a lack of moderation on Telegram, which police considered allowed criminal activity to go on undeterred on the messaging app.