Telegram Founder Pavel Durov Charged with Multiple Crimes in France

Pavel Durov, the Russian-born founder of the messaging platform Telegram, was charged yesterday in France with a series of serious crimes and barred from leaving the country. The Paris prosecutor announced that Durov had been released from custody but was required to post bail of five million euros, approximately $5.5 million.

Durov faces charges of complicity in managing an online platform that facilitated illegal transactions by an organized group, as well as complicity in crimes such as enabling the distribution of child sexual abuse material, fraud, and drug trafficking.

This indictment marks a rare instance of legal authorities holding a top tech executive personally accountable for the actions of users on a major platform. Telegram has been linked to several criminal cases in France.