Russian billionaire Telegram founder Pavel Durov arrested in Paris
The Russian billionaire founder and CEO of the Telegram messaging app, Pavel Durov, was arrested on Saturday evening upon arrival at Le Bourget Airport in Paris, according to French TV channel TF1. | The 39-year-old businessman, who has dual French and United Arab Emirates citizenship, was reportedly met by police officers at around 8pm on Saturday after flying to the French capital on his private jet from Azerbaijan. ● According to the French authorities, Durov, who is estimated to be worth €13.9 billion by Forbes, is being charged as an accomplice to crimes including drug trafficking, fraud, terrorism and crimes against children over Telegram’s alleged “lack of moderation and cooperation with law enforcement’, as well for Telegram’s use of disposable numbers, and for allowing cryptocurrency transfers that cannot be monitored by the authorities. ● The arrest has surprised many, as Durov had long proven himself to be a canny operator in terms of ensuring his personal safety, leaving Russia in 2014 when he refused demands by Russian intelligence services to censor the VK social media platform, which he owned at the time. Since 2017, Durov and Telegram have been based in Dubai. [...] Neither Durov nor Telegram has either confirmed his arrest or commented on it. However, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said on Sunday that Russian diplomats in Paris were working to learn more about Durov’s arrest.
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Dmitry Medvedev (Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council) (Дмитрий Медведев) | Some time ago, quite some time ago, I asked Durov why he didn't want to cooperate with law enforcement on serious crimes. "This is my principled position," he stated. "Then there will be serious problems in any country," I told him. ■ He thought he had the biggest problems in Russia, and left, then got citizenship/residence permits in other states. He wanted to be a brilliant "man of the world" living perfectly without a homeland. Ubi bene ibi patria! ■ He miscalculated. For all our common enemies now, he is Russian - and therefore unpredictable and dangerous. Of a different blood. Certainly not Musk or Zuckerberg (btw., actively cooperating with the FBI). Durov should finally realize that the Fatherland, like the times, cannot be chosen...(DeepL + Grammarly)