Breaking: Telegram Founder Pavel Durov Faces 12 Criminal Charges In France

Telegram founder Pavel Durov is facing 12 serious criminal charges in France following his arrest at Le Bourget airport on the outskirts of Paris. The arrest took place on August 24, as part of an extensive judicial investigation led by the Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office, specifically its cybercrime division, JUNALCO.

The investigation began in early July 2024 and centers on multiple allegations against Durov, mainly connected to his role in overseeing the Telegram platform.

Telegram Founder Pavel Durov Faces 12 Criminal Charges

According to a filing, the judicial investigation against Telegram founder Pavel Durov includes 12 criminal charges. This inquiry began on July 8, 2024, following a preliminary investigation by JUNALCO, the Parisian cybercrime unit.

Among the charges are accusations that Durov was complicit in enabling illegal activities on Telegram, including facilitating transactions for organized crime through his oversight of the platform. The charges also include the refusal to provide critical information to law enforcement agencies, further implicating him in obstructing justice.

The charges against Telegram founder Durov involve serious allegations related to child pornography. These charges include complicity in the possession and distribution of illegal content involving minors, a central focus of the judicial investigation. In addition, Durov is charged with complicity in narcotics trafficking. The investigation alleges that Telegram was used as a platform for offering, selling, and distributing illegal substances. Amid these developments, a magistrate has pushed forward the Telegram founder’s detention by 96 hours.

Apple Rumors and India’s Ongoing Investigation

Following Pavel Durov’s arrest, rumors circulated that Apple might remove Telegram from its App Store, particularly in India, where the platform has a large user base. However, Apple has denied these rumors, clarifying that there are no plans to remove Telegram from the App Store. The speculation seems to be a resurgence of earlier hoaxes that have already been debunked.

Subsequently, the Indian government is currently investigating the platform over its alleged misuse in criminal activities, including extortion and gambling. A government official stated that depending on the findings of this investigation, Telegram could even face a ban in the country. This adds another layer of complexity to the platform’s ongoing legal and regulatory battles.

In addition, the Telegram founder Pavel Durov is charged with using unauthorized cryptology tools. The investigation accuses Durov of offering cryptographic services without the necessary certification, as required under French law. This includes providing and importing cryptology tools that were not properly declared to the relevant authorities.

Additionally, Durov faces money laundering charges, and the investigation claims that the Telegram platform was used to launder proceeds from criminal activities. However, despite these accusations, prominent leaders like Elon Musk and TRON founder Justin Sun have backed Pavel Durov’s release as per a CoinGape report.

Toncoin Price Tanks Over 7%

Post the announcements of the Telegram CEO troubles and arrest, Toncoin price has plummeted significantly with a 30% price decline in the last week and 8% over the past 24 hours. At press time, Toncoin price was trading at $5.38, a 8.60% decline from the intra-day high of $5.94.

This decline was accompanied by a dip in market capitalization and 24-hour trading volume by 8.60% and 66.48% respectively to $13,683,419,408 and $928,061,008.

Amid this decline, CoinGape’s TON price technical analysis points to a potential retest of the $4.47 support should the proceedings turn out negatively. However, should he get released Toncoin price may regain its recent gains and surge to the August highs of $7.26.