Telegram Founder Pavel Durov Arrested in France on 12 Charges Including Drug Trafficking and Cybercrime

The internet was thrown into turmoil when news broke that Telegram’s Founder and CEO, Pavel Durov, had been arrested in France on 24th August. At the time, numerous speculations circulated, but the reason for his arrest remained undisclosed. Now, a press release has been issued which sheds light on the situation. It reveals that a judicial investigation was opened on 8th July 2024 by the Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office, specifically its cybercrime division, JUNALCO. Moreover, a total of 12 charges have been framed against Durov.

Here is what he has been charged for

1. Complicity – web-mastering an online platform in order to enable an illegal transaction in an organized group.

2. Refusal to communicate, at the request of competent authorities, information or documents necessary for carrying out and operating interceptions allowed by law.

3. Complicity – possessing pornographic images of minors.

4. Complicity – distributing, offering, or making available pornographic images of minors, in an organized group.

5. Complicity – acquiring, transporting, possessing, offering, or selling narcotic substances.

6. Complicity – offering, selling, or making available, without legitimate reason, equipment, tools, programs, or data designed for or adapted to get access to and to damage the operation of an automated data processing system.

7. Complicity – organized fraud.

8. Criminal association with a view to committing a crime or an offense punishable by 5 or more years of imprisonment.

9. Laundering of the proceeds derived from organized group’s offenses and crimes.

10. Providing cryptology services aiming to ensure confidentiality without certified declaration.

11. Providing a cryptology tool not solely ensuring authentication or integrity monitoring without prior declaration.

12. Importing a cryptology tool ensuring authentication or integrity monitoring without prior declaration.

This arrest has also led to a widespread discussion about whether privacy is truly private.

#Telegram $TON News: The Durov official charges. Yet to be heard in front of a judge. Grandstanding right now.https://t.co/KKuniSyblb pic.twitter.com/rpE1Va6HVz

— MartyParty (@martypartymusic) August 26, 2024