Telegram: CEO Durov has nothing to hide after his arrest

Durov, 39, was arrested in Le Bourget on Saturday for allegedly failing to take measures to prevent criminal use of Telegram, Agence France-Presse reported. His initial detention was extended by 24 hours late Sunday, a judicial official said.

Telegram released a statement on its platform and on X (formerly Twitter) saying the Dubai-based company complies with European laws, including the Digital Services Act, and that Durov has “nothing to hide.”

“It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner is responsible for the misuse of that platform,” the statement said. “We expect a swift resolution of this situation.”

Durov lives in Dubai and is a French and Emirati citizen, according to the Telegram website. He has not yet commented on whether he has renounced his Russian citizenship.

The Russian embassy in Paris said it had “asked the French authorities for an explanation of the reasons and demanded that they ensure the protection of his rights and provide consular access.” Embassy staff are in contact with Durov's lawyer, the statement said.

French agency Ofmin, set up to combat violence against minors, issued an arrest warrant for Durov, AFP reported. Ofmin is the coordinating authority in a preliminary investigation into suspected crimes including fraud, drug trafficking, cyberbullying, organized crime and the promotion of terrorism, according to AFP.

Toncoin, a cryptocurrency linked to Telegram, fell as much as 23% when news broke that Durov was in custody.

Developed by Durov and his brother Nikolai, a programmer and mathematician, Telegram has around 900 million active users and is one of the most popular messaging apps. Its relatively lax approach to content moderation has led to allegations that it is often used for criminal activity and extremist material.

The Durov brothers made their fortune in 2006 by founding the Russia-based social network VKontakte. The platform quickly gained popularity among Russians and became the target of a billionaire with ties to the Kremlin.

Durov fled the country in 2014 and sold his stake in VKontakte. According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, he has a net worth of over nine billion dollars.

In an interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson in April, Durov spoke about the pressure he faced from Russian authorities while running VKontakte and the surveillance of Telegram by law enforcement agencies around the world.

“I would rather be free and not take orders from anyone,” Durov said during the interview.