Why was the founder of Telegram arrested?

Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov was arrested at Le Bourget airport in France. The Russian billionaire flew to Paris from Azerbaijan on a private plane

According to reports in the Western media, the arrest of the billionaire is related to criminal offenses planned through Telegram. This includes cases of terrorism, drug trafficking, fraud and child trafficking. According to media reports, the law enforcement officers accuse Telegram of lack of moderators and improper cooperation with the investigation.

On Wednesday, the Wall Street Journal, based on sources, published a number of details about the relationship between Durov and the French authorities. Durov received French citizenship in 2021. The article states that in 2018, French President Emmanuel Macron offered Pavel Durov over dinner to move Telegram's headquarters in the United Arab Emirates to Paris. According to reports, Durov refused. Nevertheless, the French authorities granted him citizenship through a simplified procedure

Pavel Durov founded Telegram in 2013. Today, the platform unites more than 950 million users. Durov left Russia in 2014 after the authorities asked him to shut down opposition channels on the VKontakte platform. After leaving the country, Durov also sold his share in VKontakte

Durov, 39, was arrested on Sunday at Paris's Le Bourget airport. The reason for the arrest is that Telegram does not adequately monitor its channels, which are often used for illegal purposes.