ANKARA: Pavel Durov, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the social media platform Telegram, is facing preliminary charges in France for allegedly permitting criminal activities on the messaging application, according to Anadolu Agency (AA) citing press reports on Wednesday.
Authorities accuse Telegram of facilitating the distribution of child sexual abuse material, drug trafficking, fraud, and money laundering. The company has reportedly refused to cooperate with investigators, as reported by Sky News.
Telegram has denied the allegations, asserting that its moderation policies comply with EU laws and meet industry standards.
The company described the claims as “absurd,“ arguing that it is unjust to blame a platform or its owner for criminal misuse, according to the media outlet.
Russia-born Durov, who has been a French citizen since 2021, was arrested after landing his private jet at Le Bourget airport near Paris.
French judges have barred him from leaving the country pending an investigation, although he avoided jail by posting a €5 million (over US$5.5 billion) bail.
Russia has labelled Durov’s arrest as politically motivated, adding to the controversy surrounding the high-profile case.
