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Pavel Durov, the co-founder and CEO of Telegram, was arrested on Saturday evening at Le Bourget airport in Paris after arriving from Azerbaijan on his private jet, according to French media reports.
The 39-year-old tech entrepreneur, known for his staunch advocacy of free speech and user privacy, was taken into custody by French authorities around 8 p.m., following a search warrant issued as part of an ongoing investigation into the popular messaging platform.
French law enforcement has long scrutinized Telegram, which boasts approximately 900 million users worldwide, for its perceived lack of moderation.
Authorities argue that the app’s encryption and privacy features have made it a breeding ground for illegal activities, including drug trafficking, fraud, and even terrorism.
However, the arrest warrant for Durov was only enforceable once he set foot on French soil.
A source close to the investigation expressed surprise at Durov’s arrival in France.
“He made a blunder this evening. We don’t know why… Was this flight just a stopover? In any case, he’s in custody,” the source told TF1.
Durov, who fled Russia in 2014 after refusing to hand over user data to the Russian government, has since lived in self-imposed exile, primarily in Dubai.
The billionaire is also a citizen of France and the United Arab Emirates.
He founded Telegram in 2013 alongside his brother Nikolai and has consistently defended the platform as a neutral tool for communication rather than a participant in global politics.
Despite its popularity, Telegram has faced criticism from several governments for enabling criminal activities through its encrypted messaging services.
Durov is expected to appear before a judge on Sunday to face charges related to terrorism, narcotics trafficking, complicity in fraud, money laundering, and child exploitation, according to French news outlet TF1.
