During the SEC-TON conflict, Pavel Durov was aware of the risks and refused to testify in person at the US embassy, choosing Zoom to avoid kidnapping. When flying out of the UAE, he carefully selected countries and routes to avoid detentions, as was the case with the founder of Nexta in Belarus.
The SEC's claims were not only about attracting investment, but also about the threat to the existing system due to the integration of cryptocurrency into Telegram. Zuckerberg made similar attempts with Libra, but he was also given to understand that this was undesirable.
TON is now integrated into Telegram, attracting millions of new users every month. The US is concerned about the growth of Telegram, which is not controlled by venture funds. In the context of geopolitical tensions, the risk for Durov increases, despite his French citizenship, which was obtained at the initiative of Macron.
Pavel realizes that his actions provoke a reaction from powerful structures, and understands the limitations of this path.
