Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov remains in trouble in France, facing multiple criminal charges related to his activities on the messaging platform. A French court has reportedly set bail at €5 million and he is currently banned from leaving the country.
French authorities charge Telegram CEO Durov
After Durov was arrested last weekend at Le Bourget airport, the 39-year-old French-Russian national appeared in court on August 28. French authorities accuse him of assisting criminal gangs in drug trafficking, fraud, distributing child pornography and money laundering, all via Telegram.
On Wednesday, reports emerged that Paris prosecutors had formally charged Durov, with French judges setting bail at €5 million ($5.5 million). Under the terms of his bail, Durov must remain in France, although prosecutors said he has “nothing to hide.”
French President Emmanuel Macron spoke out earlier this week, asserting that while his country values freedom of expression, it must operate "within the legal framework." NBC News reported that some of the illegal transmission charges against Durov could result in a 10-year prison sentence and a maximum fine of 500,000 euros.
Paris prosecutors argued that Telegram ignored or failed to comply with legal data requests, showing “complicity” on the platform’s part. Although Durov has been detained since Saturday, Telegram has maintained that it complies with all EU regulations and enforces moderation policies.
The company said it was “absurd to claim that a platform or its owner is responsible for the misuse of that platform.”
What do you think about the charges Telegram's founder is facing in France? Join the conversation and share your views in the comments below.
#binance #DurovCEOTelegram $BTC $ETH $TON
