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Telegram CEO Pavel Durov Under Formal Investigation in France for Criminal Charges

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Telegram CEO Pavel Durov Formal Investigation

Business Honor
29 August, 2024

Durov was released on the condition that he remains in French territory throughout the investigation

Pavel Durov, the inventor and CEO of the messaging app Telegram, was indicted in France on Thursday, following a four-day arrest by police. The Paris criminal court has charged Durov with a number of serious offenses, including operating a corporation that assisted in the storage and distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), assisting narcotics trafficking, and allowing organized fraud. The charges also address concerns about Telegram's encryption features and registration. Durov was released on the condition that he remains in French territory throughout the investigation, with bail set at €5 million (roughly $5.6 million). He is compelled to check in at a police station twice every week.

Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau acknowledged the charges, stating that Durov's formal inquiry is a procedural step in the French criminal system. This designation indicates that Durov is formally suspected of the alleged offenses, but it does not guarantee that the matter will proceed to trial. If the authorities feel that the evidence is insufficient, the inquiry may be discontinued prior to reaching court. The charges arise from Durov's detention on August 24 at France's Le Bourget Airport, with the prosecutor highlighting Telegram's involvement in numerous criminal instances.