Durov has, according to sources within the French police, been arrested as part of an investigation led by Ofmin, a part of the French judiciary that works against exploitation, violence, and abuse of children and young people. The app is considered to facilitate criminal activity in general due to a lack of moderation, handling of cryptocurrency, and a lack of willingness to cooperate with authorities.
He will continue to be detained pending trial.
Popular among criminals
The app is "a hive for criminal content", according to the French TV channel TF1.
For many years, it has been the number one platform for criminal activity, says an investigator.
Telegram is a fast, encrypted, and very popular app for sending messages, images, and clips. It is, for example, used extensively by both sides in the war between Russia and Ukraine, as well as by drug dealers and other criminals in the Nordic countries.
Recently, the Danish Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard said that Telegram stands out as a platform where organized crime recruits young people for violent missions.
Durov had previously kept himself away from France, aware of the risk of being arrested there. A warrant and an order to arrest him if he appears on French soil had been issued by Ofin, according to TF1.
Many criminal suspicions
Durov is suspected of a range of crimes, including fraud, drug trafficking, online harassment, organized crime, and promoting terrorism, according to a person with insight into the investigation.
Yet, his private jet landed at Le Bourget airport, after a flight from Azerbaijan. With him were his bodyguard and an assistant. They were going to have dinner in Paris, according to information to Le Figaro.
Russia's embassy in Paris accuses France of "refusing to cooperate".
"We immediately asked the French authorities to explain the reason for the arrest and demanded that his rights be protected and that consular access be granted", the embassy writes in a statement, according to the Russian state news agency Ria Novosti.
"So far, the French side has refused to cooperate on this matter."
Telegram says in a statement that its CEO has nothing to hide, and that the messaging service follows EU legislation.
Pavel Durov left Russia in 2014 and now has his base in Dubai. It was also there that he launched Telegram.
