TEHRAN — Pavel Durov, CEO and founder of the encrypted messaging app Telegram, was arrested at Paris Le Bourget Airport under suspicions of facilitating criminal activities, according to French media sources.
According to Philippines News Agency, the 39-year-old tech entrepreneur was taken into custody as he exited his private jet, following an arrest warrant related to alleged drug trafficking, crimes against children, and fraud. The arrest took place at 8 p.m. local time on Sunday, with Durov being escorted by bodyguards and reportedly apprehended by French secret service agents, although official confirmation of these details has not been provided.
Durov, who is Russian-born and currently resides in Dubai, founded Telegram Messenger in 2013 alongside his brother Nikolai. The platform is reported to have over 900 million users worldwide. Durov also became a naturalized French citizen in August 2021, adding to the complexity of his legal entanglements in France.