PANews reported on August 28 that according to an announcement issued by the Paris Public Prosecutor's Office, Telegram founder Pavel Durov was formally investigated for multiple crimes. These crimes include: 1) assisting in the management of illegal trading platforms; 2) refusing to provide information required for judicial monitoring; 3) participating in the production and dissemination of programs and child pornography that attack data systems; 4) organized money laundering; 5) failing to declare the provision of encryption services; 6) failing to declare the provision and import of encryption means. The details are as follows:
Assisting in the management of an online platform to facilitate organised illegal trading (this offence carries a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment and a €500,000 fine)
Refusing to provide information or documents when requested by the competent authority to assist in legally authorized wiretapping
Participation in a crime, including the illegal provision or dissemination of programs or data designed to attack automated data processing systems, organized dissemination of child pornography, drug trafficking, organized fraud, participation in a criminal group for the purpose of committing a crime or the commission of a crime
Money laundering for organized crime or crime
Providing encryption services to ensure confidentiality without making compliance claims
Supply and import of encryption means without prior declaration