Pavel Durov, the billionaire founder of Telegram, recently found himself in legal trouble after being arrested in France. Known for creating one of the world’s most popular messaging platforms, Durov’s detainment has sent shockwaves through the tech community.
On the evening of August 24th, Durov was apprehended at Paris-Le Bourget Airport. French authorities had issued an arrest warrant following a preliminary investigation, raising serious allegations against the tech entrepreneur. The investigation highlighted concerns over Telegram’s lack of content moderation, its strong encryption tools, and Durov’s alleged failure to cooperate with law enforcement. These factors have led to accusations that Durov might be complicit in facilitating illegal activities such as drug trafficking, child exploitation, and fraud.
Reports from TF1, a French television channel, indicate that the CEO of Telegram is now facing a potentially severe legal battle, with a possible sentence of up to 20 years in prison. As a French citizen, Durov might also face charges for violating European Union sanctions imposed on Russia due to his connections in the country.
Telegram, the messaging app founded by Durov, ranks among the top social media platforms globally, trailing behind giants like Facebook, YouTube, and WhatsApp. The platform aims to reach one billion users in the coming year, a testament to its rapid growth and widespread appeal.
Based on Forbes, Durov currently holds the 120th spot on the global billionaire list, with a net worth of approximately $15.5 billion. Born in Saint Petersburg, Russia, into a middle-class family, Durov’s path to success began early. In 2002, after graduating from a physical education academy, he enrolled at Saint Petersburg State University, majoring in philology. Although Durov was recognized for his intelligence and leadership qualities, his rebellious nature occasionally landed him in trouble.
One incident during his university years exemplified this: Durov hacked into the school’s computer network, disabling it to prove its inefficiency. The stunt led to his permanent ban from using the network for the remainder of his studies.
Before founding Telegram, Durov was already well-known as the “Mark Zuckerberg of Russia” for co-founding VKontakte, a social network similar to Facebook, at just 22 years old. VKontakte quickly gained massive popularity in Russia, forcing Durov to scale the platform’s server capacity within a month of its launch due to exponential user growth.
However, Durov left Russia in 2014 after refusing government demands to shut down opposition groups on VKontakte. Before his departure, he developed Telegram, a secure messaging app that debuted in 2013 without any formal announcement to maintain its secrecy.
Telegram’s growth has been extraordinary. As of April this year, the platform boasts over 900 million monthly active users, a significant jump from 500 million at the beginning of 2021. Despite its success, Telegram has faced global scrutiny as the platform of choice for criminals and hackers to conduct illicit activities under the radar.
Headquartered in Dubai, Telegram has largely evaded regulatory oversight and legal scrutiny. Durov has expressed his preference for Dubai, stating that “the government doesn’t bother us here,” in an interview with the Financial Times. He credits Telegram’s success to its independence from any government or organization, ensuring that even its team cannot control the content of secret chats.
In a world where privacy and security are increasingly prized, Durov’s vision for Telegram has resonated with millions. However, this commitment to privacy has also placed him in a controversial position, as his platform continues to be used for both legitimate and nefarious purposes.
