Why Telegram CEO Arrested: Find Out His $15.5 Billion Wealth

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov arrested: Telegram CEO Pavel Durov was arrested in France last night. He was detained by police at Paris’ Bourget airport after arriving from Baku, Azerbaijan, on a private jet. Durov was due to appear in court today.

While Telegram has yet to comment on the situation, French police have confirmed the arrest and said he has been taken to a police station. Meanwhile, Russian bloggers are outraged by the arrest and have announced plans to protest outside French embassies around the world on Sunday afternoon.

🚨 BREAKING 🚨

FOUNDER AND CEO OF TELEGRAM,
PAUL DUROV WAS ARRESTED
IN FRANCE.

TONNES DROPPED BY 14% 🩸 photo:twitter.com/obDYNpdl58

— Ash Crypto (@Ashcryptoreal) August 24, 2024

Telegram CEO arrested over his app

Media reports suggest Durov was arrested because of his app. French police say Telegram lacks moderators, allowing the app to promote criminal activities.

The French agency OFMIN, which works to prevent violence against minors, issued an arrest warrant for Durov, accusing him of promoting fraud, drug smuggling, cybercrime and terrorism. The agency said Durov failed to prevent criminal use of his social media platform, which led to his arrest.

Who is Pavel Durov?

Pavel Durov, 39, was born in Russia and is the founder and owner of the messaging app Telegram. Telegram is a free social media app used by millions of people around the world, gaining popularity despite competition from Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok and WeChat.

The app currently has 900 million active users, and the company aims to reach 1 billion users by 2024-25. Telegram is headquartered in Dubai, where Durov has lived since leaving Russia in 2014. According to Forbes, Durov’s net worth is currently $15.5 billion.

Read also: No Way Home: Astronaut Sunita Williams could be stranded in space until 2025; learn more