Telegram says CEO Durov has nothing to hide after arrest

Durov, 39, was detained in Le Bourget on Saturday on suspicion of failing to take steps to prevent the criminal use of Telegram, according to Agence France-Presse. His initial detention was extended by 24 hours late Sunday, a judicial official said.

Telegram issued a statement on its platform and X, formerly known as Twitter, saying the Dubai-based company complies with European laws, including the Digital Services Act, and that Durov has “nothing to hide”.

“It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner is responsible for the abuse of that platform,” according to the statement. “We look forward to a prompt resolution to this situation.”

Durov lives in Dubai and is a citizen of France and the United Arab Emirates, according to the Telegram website. He has not previously commented on whether he has renounced his Russian citizenship.

The Russian embassy in Paris said it had asked “the French authorities for an explanation of the reasons and requested that they ensure the protection of his rights and provide consular access.” Embassy officials are in contact with Durov’s lawyer, according to the statement.

France’s Ofmin, an agency set up to combat violence against minors, has issued an arrest warrant for Durov, AFP reported. Ofmin is the lead agency in a preliminary investigation into alleged crimes such as fraud, drug trafficking, cyberbullying, organized crime and the promotion of terrorism, according to AFP.

Toncoin, a cryptocurrency linked to Telegram, fell as much as 23% on news that Durov was in custody.

Telegram was created by Durov and his brother Nikolai, a programmer and mathematician. It has around 900 million active users and is one of the most popular messaging apps. Its relatively light approach to content moderation has led to accusations that it is frequently used for criminal activity and extremist material.

The Durov brothers made their fortune creating the Russian-based social network VKontakte in 2006. That platform quickly became popular among Russians, making it a target for a billionaire with ties to the Kremlin.

Durov fled the country in 2014 and sold his stake in VKontakte. He has a net worth of more than $9 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

In an interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson in April, Durov discussed the pressure he faced from Russian authorities while running VKontakte and the scrutiny of Telegram by law enforcement agencies around the world.

“I would prefer to be free, I wouldn’t want to take orders from anyone,” Durov said during the interview.

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