pavel durov

Why was Telegram Chief Pavel Durov arrested?
Pavel Durov, the billionaire co-founder and chief executive of Telegram, was arrested at Bourget airport near Paris

Pavel Durov, the billionaire co-founder and chief executive of Telegram, was arrested at Bourget airport near Paris
The arrest occurred on Saturday evening as Durov was traveling aboard his private jet

The arrest occurred on Saturday evening as Durov was traveling aboard his private jet
French authorities had issued an arrest warrant for Durov, citing alleged offences related to the messaging app Telegram

French authorities had issued an arrest warrant for Durov, citing alleged offences related to the messaging app Telegram

Specific charges include fraud, drug trafficking, cyberbullying, organized crime, and promotion of terrorism

Durov, who was traveling from Azerbaijan, was arrested at around 8 pm. local time.

The 39-year-old entrepreneur, who holds dual citizenship of France and the UAE, is based in Dubai

Telegram did not immediately respond to requests for comment, while the Russian embassy in France is taking steps to clarify the situation

Durov and his brother Nikolai founded Telegram in 2013, and the app now has about 900 million active users

Telegram is known for its end-to-end encrypted messaging and the ability for users to set up channels to disseminate information quickly

The arrest is part of a preliminary investigation coordinated by France's OFMIN, an agency focused on preventing violence against minors