Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of Telegram, was arrested in France in August 2024 as part of a preliminary judicial investigation.

The arrest and subsequent indictment were based on allegations that the Telegram platform's alleged lack of content moderation and insufficient cooperation with French judicial authorities allowed serious criminal activities to flourish.

Key Allegations and Charges:

    Complicity in Criminal Activity: Durov was indicted on charges including complicity in the distribution of child sexual exploitation material and drug trafficking, among others.

    Refusal to Cooperate:

    Enabling Illicit Activities: French authorities claimed that Telegram, due to its privacy features, lack of moderation, and use of disposable numbers, had become a breeding ground for various crimes, including fraud, money laundering, and other organized criminal activity.

The Outcome of the Arrest:

    Durov was detained for four days after landing at Paris–Le Bourget Airport.

    He was formally indicted on several charges, including "complicity in managing an online platform to allow illicit transactions by an organized group."

    He was released from custody under judicial supervision, requiring him to pay a 5 million euro bail, be banned from leaving France (a condition that was later temporarily modified), and report to a police station regularly.

The Telegram and CEO's Response:

Telegram and Pavel Durov have strongly denied the allegations, stating that:

    Telegram abides by EU laws, including the Digital Services Act (DSA), and its moderation practices are "within industry standards and constantly improving."

    It is "absurd" to hold a platform or its owner responsible for the crimes committed by its users.

    Durov has claimed that the legal process was initiated due to the French police's own procedural mistakes in communicating with the company.

The case has been described as "unprecedented" for charging a tech CEO over the actions of the platform's independent users, sparking a global debate over online free speech, platform regulation, and digital privacy.