Telegram boss Pavel Durov arrested at French airport: officials

The 39-year-old French-Russian billionaire was detained on Saturday evening at Le Bourget airport north of the French capital, one of the officials, who asked not to be named, told AFP.

The man had just left Baku, Azerbaijan, another source close to the case said.

Durov was expected to appear in court on Sunday.

OFMIN, the French agency that prevents violence against minors, issued an arrest warrant for Durov, which is coordinating the preliminary investigation into alleged crimes including fraud, drug trafficking, cyberbullying, organized crime and promoting terrorism, said one source close to the case.

It is alleged that Durov failed to take action to curb criminal use of his platform.

“Enough of Telegram’s impunity,” one of the investigators said, adding that they were surprised that Durov had come to Paris knowing that he was wanted.