The founder and CEO of Telegram, Pavel Durov, awaits a decisive declaration today on whether he will be charged and potentially detained following his arrest by French authorities over the weekend for alleged infractions related to the messaging platform.
Naija News recalls that the 39-year-old Russian investor was taken into custody at Le Bourget airport near Paris late on Saturday.
Judicial authorities have extended his initial detention period multiple times, lasting up to 96 hours.
Durov is under investigation for 12 alleged offences concerning the failure to manage extremist content on Telegram as part of a probe initiated confidentially on July 8, according to sources familiar with the case.
Durov established Telegram while he was in the process of leaving his home country of Russia a decade ago.
The application has experienced remarkable growth, now serving over 900 million users.
An elusive individual who seldom addresses the public, Durov holds citizenship in Russia, France, and the United Arab Emirates, where Telegram’s headquarters are.
Forbes estimates his net worth at $15.5 billion, although he advocates for a lifestyle characterized by asceticism, which includes practices such as ice baths and abstaining from alcohol and coffee.
The timing and conditions surrounding Durov’s arrest have raised numerous questions, particularly regarding his decision to travel to Paris while seemingly aware of an outstanding warrant.
Credit: NaijaNews
