Telegram messaging app CEO Pavel Durov arrested at French airport
Pavel Durov, Franco-Russian billionaire founder and CEO of the Telegram messaging app, was arrested at the Bourget airport outside Paris, French media reported, citing unidentified sources, and is set to appear in court Sunday. Russian-born Durov, 39, founded Telegram with his brother in 2013, and the encrypted messaging app is influential in Russia, Ukraine and the republics of the former Soviet Union.
Telegram chief executive Pavel Durov is expected to appear in court Sunday after being arrested by French police at an airport near Paris for alleged offences related to his popular messaging app, sources told AFP.
The Franco-Russian billionaire, 39, was detained at Le Bourget airport north of the French capital on Saturday evening, one of the sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Durov had arrived from Baku, in Azerbaijan, another source close to the case said.
Durov is accused of failing to take action to curb the criminal use of his platform.
"Enough of Telegram's impunity," said one of the investigators, adding they were surprised Durov came to Paris knowing he was a wanted man.
France ‘refusing to cooperate’, says Russia
The Russian embassy in Paris on Sunday accused French authorities of "refusing to cooperate" after Durov’s arrest.
Responding to the news of Durov’s arrest, Dmitry Medvedev, former Russian president on Sunday said Telegram’s founder had “miscalculated” by fleeing Russia and thinking that he would never have to cooperate with the security services abroad.
