Following the arrest of Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of the popular instant messaging platform Telegram, 12 charges have been formally brought against him by French authorities.
These charges include complicity in web mastering an online platform to facilitate illegal transactions within an organized group.
Other charges against him involve the refusal to provide requested information to authorities for investigation, complicity in possessing and distributing pornographic images of minors and engaging in the distribution, offering, and sale of narcotics through his platform.
Durov was taken into police custody at 8 p.m on Saturday, and the arrest is said to be part of a judicial investigation that commenced on July 8, 2024, led by Section J3 – JUNALCO (Fight Against Cybercrime) of the Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office.
In addition, Pavel Durov is accused of complicity in organized fraud, selling or making available tools and programs designed to gain unauthorized access to automated data processing systems, and association with a criminal organization with intent to commit crimes punishable by up to five years or more in prison.
The charges also extend to allegations of money laundering from organized criminal activities, providing cryptology services without proper certification, and importing cryptology tools without prior declaration, which could be used to bypass authentication and integrity monitoring.
The judicial process has been intense, with investigative magistrates requesting the involvement of the Centre for the Fight Against Cybercrime (C3N) and the Anti-Fraud National Office (ONAF) to aid in the investigation.
Durov’s custody was extended by an investigative magistrate, with the potential to extend up to 96 hours, depending on the requirements of the investigation.
These charges, if proven, could result in Durov facing up to 20 years in prison. The situation is continuously unfolding as the investigation progresses, with authorities delving deeper into the role of Telegram and Durov’s involvement in these alleged criminal activities.
