What to Know About Telegram Founder Pavel Durov Amid His High-Profile Paris Arrest

Pavel Durov, founder and CEO of the encrypted messaging service Telegram, made headlines earlier this year when he said Telegram had hit 900 million users and was nearing profitability.

Now, Durov, 39, is in the news for a different reason. On Sunday, Aug. 25, French media reported that Durov had been arrested at the Paris Le Bourget airport on Aug. 24. According to French Media, investigators from the National Anti-Fraud Office, attached to the French customs department, notified Durov that he was being placed in police custody, the arrest was reportedly based on charges related to the spread of illicit material on Telegram.

On Aug. 28, French authorities handed Durov preliminary charges for failing to prevent illicit activity on the app. Per the Associated Press, the first preliminary charge against Durov was for “complicity in managing an online platform to allow illicit transactions by an organized group.”A crime such as that can reportedly lead to prison sentences of up to 10 years. In a statement, the Paris prosecutor, Laure Beccuau, said that Durov had been released from custody on a $5.5 million bail, but he must stay in the country.

“Telegram abides by E.U. laws, including the Digital Services Act—its moderation is within industry standards and constantly improving. Telegram's CEO Pavel Durov has nothing to hide and travels frequently in Europe,” Telegram wrote in a statement emailed to TIME on Aug. 25. “It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform.”

The Paris Prosecutor’s Office and France’s Ministry of Justice did not respond to TIME’s request for comment.

Durov has been a mogul in the app-creating industry for years. In a rare interview with U.S. conservative political commentator Tucker Carlson in April 2024, Durov discussed how important free speech is to him, and why he created Telegram.

“For me, it was never about getting rich. For me, everything in my life was about becoming free,” Durov told Carlson during their sit-down in Dubai. “And to the extent that it was possible, my mission in life was to allow others to also be free. And using the platforms that we created, my hope was that they could express their freedom.”

With public interest in Durov arguably at an all-time high, here’s what to know about the business mogul.

Pavel Durov co-founded the encrypted messaging service Telegram and the social media platform VK

Durov has been referred to as the “Mark Zuckerberg of Russia,” according to CNN, after co-founding the social media platform VKontakte (VK) in his native country in 2006.

In 2014, Durov said he had been fired from VK. Meanwhile, VK stated that they were acting on a previous resignation letter from Durov that had not been rescinded.

Durov fled Russia in 2014, selling his stake in VK, after reportedly refusing to cooperate with Russian authorities and provide encrypted data of users of the app.

“It was a bit painful because my first company was my baby,” Durov told Carlson in his 2024 interview. “But at the same time, I understood that I would rather be free. I wouldn’t want to take orders from anyone.”

In 2013, Durov founded Telegram with his brother, Nikolai Durov, which has only grown in popularity since. Per Telegram, the messaging app has “a focus on speed and security. Telegram is like SMS and email combined—and can take care of all your personal or business messaging needs.”

During his exile, Durov focused intensely on the growth of Telegram. “I’m very happy right now without any property anywhere,” Durov told the New York Times in 2014. “I consider myself a legal citizen of the world.”

Telegram was banned in Russia from 2018 to 2020 after Telegram refused to give Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) encryption keys granting access to user messaging data.

What has been the public reaction to Pavel Durov’s detainment in Paris?

Many public figures have publicly commented on Durov’s detainment in Paris.

Elon Musk wrote the hashtag #FreePavel on X (formerly Twitter) alongside a clip of Durov’s interview with Carlson. Former independent presidential candidate RFK Jr. also posted on X, writing that “the need to protect free speech has never been more urgent.”

Edward Snowden, a former U.S. intelligence contractor who in 2013 leaked classified information belonging to the National Security Agency (NSA) and others, said that Durov’s arrest was “an assault on the basic human rights of speech and association” and alleged that French President Emmanuel Macron was “taking hostages as a means for gaining access to private communications.”

On Monday, Aug. 26, Macron wrote on X  that France is “deeply committed to freedom of expression,” but that those freedoms are “upheld within a legal framework, both on social media and in real life.” He added: “The arrest of the president of Telegram on French soil took place as part of an ongoing judicial investigation. It is in no way a political decision. It is up to the judges to rule on the matter.” 

Meanwhile, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Durov resides in Dubai) also released a statement, saying that they are “closely following” Durov’s case and that they have “submitted a request to the French government to provide him with all consular services urgently.”

What is Pavel Durov’s nationality?

Durov was born in 1984 in the then-Soviet Union. When he was 4 years old, his family moved to Italy, though he returned to Russia after his father received a job at St Petersburg University, where he himself eventually attended for education.

Durov was granted French citizenship in 2021, but lives in Dubai. He reportedly also holds UAE citizenship.

What is Pavel Durov’s net worth?

According to Forbes, as of Aug. 25, Durov’s net worth is estimated to be $15.5 billion. Durov is currently listed number 120 on Forbes’ billionaire list.

Yet, Toncoin—the bitcoin linked to the Telegram app—has reportedly dropped more than 20% since Durov’s arrest over the weekend.

Does Pavel Durov have a wife and children?

Durov is unmarried, but reportedly has five children that he shares with his ex-girlfriends, according to his Forbes profile. On July 29, Durov said in a post on Telegram that he has over “100 biological kids” via sperm donation.