IN BRIEF: What is known about case against Telegram founder Pavel Durov

PARIS, FRANCE | TASS | Pavel Durov, the founder of the Telegram messenger, has left a court in Paris where he faced a litany of charges in connection with his role managing the social network, a TASS correspondent reported.

Earlier, the court formally charged Durov with six counts. They include complicity in the administration of a network platform to allow illegal transactions as part of a criminal group. According to the Paris prosecutor’s office, he could face up to 10 years in prison and a fine of 500,000 euros.

TASS has compiled the main information known about the case.

Measure of restraint

– According to the judge who handled the case, Durov was placed under judicial supervision and required to post bail in the amount of five million euros.

– He was also ordered to report to the police station twice a week and is prohibited from leaving France.

Charges brought against him

– The Paris court charged the Telegram founder with six of the 12 crimes already announced, the prosecutor’s office said in a statement.

– He is accused of “complicity in illegal transactions as part of organized criminal activity while managing an online platform.” According to the prosecutor’s office, the maximum penalty for this is 10 years in prison and a fine of 500,000 euros.

– Durov is also accused of “refusing to provide the authorities with information or documents necessary for arrest,” “complicity in the distribution of pornography involving minors,” “drug trafficking,” “transmitting or providing unauthorized access to software or data intended for compromising or accessing an automated data processing system,” and “fraud as part of an organized group.”

– Other charges include “aiding in the evasion of responsibility for organized group crimes,” “providing a cryptographic tool without prior declaration,” and “supplying and importing a cryptographic tool that does not exclusively provide authentication or integrity control functions without prior declaration.”

Additional case in Switzerland

– Swiss authorities are investigating Durov in connection with ex-girlfriend Irina Bolgar’s claims that the entrepreneur allegedly beat their child, Forbes reported.

– According to its information, the lawsuit was filed in Geneva in March 2023. It alleges that Durov “physically abused” one of the couple’s three children.

– She also filed a civil suit for custody of the children, accusing the Telegram founder of refusing to meet with the children in September 2022 and pay 150,000 euros monthly to maintain their comfortable lifestyle.

– Bolgar’s lawyer confirmed to Forbes that the woman and her three children participated in the proceedings.

– He also reported the start of proceedings on another civil case in June 2024. The case concerns the payment of alimony.

Durov’s brother wanted

– Nikolay Durov, Pavel Durov’s brother, is also wanted in France, Politico reported, citing a court document.

– According to it, arrest warrants for Pavel and Nikolay Durov were issued on March 25 on charges of being complicit in the possession, distribution or access to pornographic images of minors as part of an organized group.

– The newspaper pointed out that the French authorities had issued a request, which went unanswered by Telegram, to identify one of the messenger users accused of distributing and producing child pornography.

– The use of Telegram by criminal organizations was also cited as justification for the arrest warrants against the Durov brothers.