Pavel Durov arrested in connection with 12 crimes including cybercrime against "cryptonomy" services
According to a statement released by the Paris Judicial Court, Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has been arrested as part of a large-scale cybercrime investigation and faces charges including providing unauthorized "cryptonomy" services and tools.
The statement said: "Pavel Durov, founder and CEO of the instant messaging platform Telegram, was arrested on Saturday, August 24, 2024 at Le Bourget Airport in the suburbs of Paris and was detained by the police at 8 pm.
The move was implemented in the context of a judicial investigation that began on July 8, 2024, following a preliminary investigation launched by the Cybercrime Unit of the Paris Public Prosecutor's Office. The judicial investigation is based on the charge of providing cryptography services and tools".
Several other charges are listed in the document, including conspiracy to "possess pornographic images of minors" and "money laundering for the illegal proceeds of criminal organizations".
Durov is being questioned as part of the cybercrime investigation.
The Paris Public Prosecutor's Office in France said that the case of Durov, the founder of "Telegram", under investigation involves 12 crimes, most of which are cybercrimes.
It was previously reported that French authorities could detain Pavel Durov until August 28.