Telegram billionaire Pavel Durov is free of custody in France
- The 39-year-old is set to appear in court today to face a possible indictment
Telegram tycoon Pavel Durov has been released from police custody after four days of questioning over allegations that his platform is being used for illegal activities.
The 39-year-old billionaire is still set to appear in court today to face possible charges of failing to curb extremist and illegal content on the popular messaging app after his arrest at the weekend.
Durov was detained on Saturday at Le Bourget airport outside Paris as part of a judicial inquiry opened last month involving 12 alleged criminal violations.
The Paris prosecutor’s office said: ‘An investigating judge has ended Pavel Durov’s police custody and will have him brought to court for a first appearance and a possible indictment.’
Other allegations against Durov, who is a French citizen, include that his platform is being used for child sexual abuse material and drug trafficking, fraud and abetting organised crime transactions, and that Telegram refused to share information or documents with investigators when required by law.
Durov was detained on Saturday at Le Bourget airport outside Paris as part of a judicial inquiry opened last month involving 12 alleged criminal violations
A Paris investigating magistrate will decide whether to press charges against Durov, and the judiciary would then rule on whether he will be remanded in custody or allowed to go free, possibly under judicial control with restrictions on his movements.
