Telegram CEO Pavel Durov was questioned in a Paris court on December 6th regarding allegations that the messaging platform facilitated criminal activities. Accompanied by his lawyers, David-Olivier Kaminski and Christophe Ingrain, Durov faced inquiries into claims that Telegram was used for illicit transactions. This marks Durov’s first formal questioning in relation to these allegations.
Durov’s legal troubles began when he was briefly detained at Le Bourget Airport in Paris on August 24th. He was released after posting a $6 million bail but is currently prohibited from leaving France until March 2025. French prosecutors officially filed preliminary charges against him on August 28th, accusing Telegram of enabling illegal activities. If convicted, Durov could face a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a fine of €500,000 ($550,000). The investigation into Telegram started in February 2024 and escalated to a formal judicial inquiry in July, preceding Durov’s arrest.
In a separate development, sources have revealed that Durov’s phone was allegedly hacked in 2017, a year before his meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron. This case has raised concerns within the tech and cryptocurrency communities.
Telegram has become a significant player in the cryptocurrency market, with its crypto holdings surging to $1.3 billion in the first half of 2024 from $400 million at the end of 2023. The company’s gains in crypto holdings, revenue from Toncoin sales, and the termination of an exclusivity deal with Toncoin have greatly strengthened its financial position. Telegram’s cryptocurrency holdings tripled in value during the first half of 2024, reaching $1.3 billion. The growth is largely attributed to the sale of $353 million worth of digital assets in the first six months of 2024. Additionally, the company monetized Toncoin through a $225 million exclusivity deal, making the cryptocurrency the sole method for small businesses to purchase ads on the platform. In October, Telegram announced plans to establish a local office in Kazakhstan to enhance communication with local authorities and improve content management.
Since Durov’s arrest, Telegram has implemented several measures to address concerns, including sharing user information such as IP addresses and phone numbers with authorities when necessary. The platform has also made significant updates to its search engine, removing problematic content and using artificial intelligence to detect and block illicit material.
