Telegram is a service launched in 2013 by Russian brothers Nikolai and Pavel Durov. They rejected the Russian government’s demand to shut down anti-government communities on VK social media, which they founded in 2014, and have left Russia to do business based in Dubai. Forbes estimated that Pavel Durov, who was arrested, has assets of 15.1 billion dollars and is the richest foreigner in the United Arab Emirates. Pavel Durov acquired French nationality in 2021.
However, Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of Telegram, a messenger service that has strong security features but is also criticized as a hotbed of crime, was arrested in France.
French media, including AFP, reported that Durov Telegram CEO was arrested at Bourget Airport outside Paris on the 24th (local time). He was arrested by French law enforcement officials who obtained an arrest warrant after entering France on a private plane from Baku, Azerbaijan.
Telegram is a messenger service widely used not only in the former Soviet Union but also in Europe and Asia due to its strong security function. Telegram has 900 million users worldwide and is expected to reach 1 billion users this year.
Durov was arrested on charges of not regulating crimes related to money laundering, human trafficking, smuggling, and child pornography using Telegram and failing to cooperate with investigative authorities. French media reported that investigative authorities believe Telegram has no manager to regulate criminal activities, so the situation of continuing criminal activities on Telegram without sanctions continues.
JULIE KIM
US ASIA JOURNAL
