Pavel Durov, the billionaire founder of messaging platform Telegram, has been placed under formal investigation in France as part of a probe into alleged promoting organised crime through his app.
The Paris prosecutor's office has confirmed that the Russian-born tech tycoon, who also holds French citizenship, faces a number of serious charges, including complicity in illicit transactions and distribution of child sexual abuse material.
Durov, 39, was detained last Saturday upon his arrival at Le Bourget airport, near Paris, in response to a warrant issued in connection with these crimes. Although he has not been taken into custody, he is under judicial supervision, and strict conditions have been imposed on him.
These include a deposit of 5 million euros, twice-weekly checks at a French police station, and a ban on leaving French territory.
The charges against Durov are wide-ranging and include: complicity in the administration of an online platform enabling illegal transactions by an organised gang, refusal to co-operate with authorities, and complicity in the organised criminal distribution of sexual images of children.
In France, a formal investigation means that judges believe there is sufficient evidence to pursue a case, though this does not necessarily mean the person is guilty or that a trial will necessarily be held.
Durov has not yet commented publicly on the situation. His lawyer, David-Olivier Kaminsky, defended his client, saying that Telegram complies with European digital regulations and that its moderation standards are in line with those of other social networks. Kaminsky dismissed the allegations as “absurd”, and insisted that Durov had no direct or indirect involvement in criminal activities linked to the platform.
The case has sparked a heated debate about freedom of expression and the responsibilities of social media platforms. The incident marks the first time a social media executive has been detained due to the misuse of the platform by its users. While tech leaders have been called to testify before lawmakers before, Durov's case represents an unprecedented legal escalation.
Elon Musk, the owner of X (formerly Twitter), has publicly defended Durov, claiming that moderation is merely a “propaganda term” for censorship and has demanded his release. Similarly, Chris Pawlowski, the founder of another controversial platform Rumble, announced he had fled Europe following Durov's detention, signalling growing concerns among tech entrepreneurs about their legal liabilities.
While many of the world's largest social media platforms work closely with national and international authorities to tackle serious crimes, including the spread of child sexual abuse material, Telegram has been accused of not being involved in these efforts. The platform, which now operates from Dubai, says its moderation tools are on par with industry standards.
French President Emmanuel Macron addressed the controversy, reiterating France's commitment to freedom of expression and insisting that the legal action against Durov was “in no way… political.” Nonetheless, the case has raised questions about the balance between preserving freedom of expression and ensuring accountability for misuse of digital platforms.
Telegram, known for its encrypted messaging capabilities and large group chat functionalities, has grown to over 950 million registered users since its founding in 2013. It is particularly popular in Russia, Ukraine, and other former Soviet states, as well as Iran.
The platform's encryption features, which require manual activation for private chats, often put it at the center of debates over user privacy versus security concerns.
The Russian government has responded, saying that if the evidence proves insufficient, the charges against Durov could be seen as an attempt to “intimidate” a major technology company for political reasons.
Durov, who founded the Russian social media platform VKontakte, left Russia in 2014 after defying government orders to shut down opposition groups on the network. In addition to Russian and French citizenship, Durov also holds passports of Saint Kitts and Nevis and the United Arab Emirates.
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