France Charges Telegram CEO Pavel Durov with Violations Related to App Operations

Pavel Durov, CEO and co-founder of Telegram, has been formally charged by French authorities with several violations related to the messaging app’s operations.

NIGERIA NEWS 247 previously reported that Durov, a 39-year-old Franco-Russian billionaire, was arrested on August 24, 2024, at Le Bourget airport near Paris. The arrest was made under a warrant for his alleged involvement in criminal activities facilitated through Telegram.

Durov faces charges of complicity in running an online platform used for illicit transactions, failure to cooperate with authorities by withholding requested documents, and the dissemination of child pornography images.

He is also accused of enabling drug trafficking, fraud, and money laundering through the app.

Despite the serious charges, Durov was granted conditional release after posting a five million euro bail. Under the release terms, he must remain in France, report to a police station twice a week, and is barred from leaving the country, according to Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau.

The investigation into Telegram’s activities by French authorities began in February 2024, after concerns over the platform’s lack of cooperation with law enforcement requests.