Six years ago, Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, was dining with President Emmanuel Macron in France. Today, Durov’s situation has taken a dramatic turn.

In 2018, Macron offered Durov a chance to move Telegram to Paris, but Durov chose to base the company in the UAE instead. His relationship with global governments has been complex, with many attempts to influence or control him falling short.

In 2017, French spies targeted Durov with a covert operation named “Purple Music,” hacking his iPhone even before their meeting with Macron.

By 2021, Durov had secured citizenship in both France and the UAE, with the UAE investing over $75 million in Telegram. He also holds citizenship in St. Kitts and Nevis, a Caribbean island known for its investment citizenship program.

While Durov's French passport allowed him free travel in Europe, he was frequently approached by FBI agents in the U.S. seeking his cooperation.

French prosecutors have not publicly named Durov as a target in their current investigation. Telegram claims compliance with the EU’s Digital Services Act but says it is not yet considered a “very large” platform under the regulations, with fewer than 45 million active monthly users in the EU.

1st image: France’s national antifraud office outside Paris, where Durov is being held.

2nd image: Paper airplanes symbolizing the Telegram logo outside France’s Embassy in Moscow after Durov’s detention.

Stay tuned for updates on this unfolding story.