Pavel Durov, the billionaire Franco-Russian CEO of the encrypted messaging app Telegram, was arrested in France on Saturday after landing at Le Bourget Airport, just outside Paris, according to a report from French media outlet BFMTV.
French authorities apprehended the 39-year-old tech mogul under a search warrant related to alleged criminal activities on his platform. Sources close to the investigation told BFMTV that Durov’s arrest was linked to his platform’s use for illicit activities, including money laundering, drug trafficking, and the sharing of child exploitation material.
The lack of moderation on Telegram is suspected to have made Durov complicit in these crimes. With no effective content filtering, Telegram has allowed illegal activities to flourish, making it a preferred platform for money laundering, drug trafficking, and the distribution of child exploitation material.
Investigators from the National Anti-Fraud Office, connected to the French customs authority, made the arrest and placed Durov in custody upon his arrival from Azerbaijan.
Despite holding French citizenship, Durov had been avoiding France and much of Europe due to the active search warrant. Instead, he had been spending most of his time in the United Arab Emirates, former Soviet states, and South America.
Durov’s unexpected presence in France raises questions, as he had been known to steer clear of the country.
Since its inception, Telegram has been a hub for cybercriminals. The platform is a safe haven for trading stolen financial data, selling fake IDs, distributing vaccine certificates, and offering hijacked streaming service accounts at discounted rates.
In addition, Telegram channels are often used to share tutorials and tips on committing fraud, further fueling the growth of cybercrime.
Despite taking some measures to moderate content, Telegram has struggled to curb these illegal activities effectively. Cybercriminals often create backup channels to ensure their operations continue even if their primary channels are shut down.