Russian tech billionaire Pavel Durov was detained in Paris and formally indicted on multiple charges
Footage of Telegram co-founder and CEO Pavel Durov being released from French custody late Wednesday has been circulating on social media.
A court in Paris formally indicted the billionaire four days after he was detained at the airport shortly after arriving in the French capital. He faces a dozen charges, including complicity in administering an online platform that enabled an organized gang to conduct illicit transactions, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, according to a press statement released by French authorities.
Other charges released by the French prosecutor’s office include complicity in “allowing criminal activity” such as the distribution of drugs and child pornography, fraud, money laundering – as well as refusing to share information with authorities.
In videos circulating online, Durov can be seen walking out of a gated parking lot while police officers look on. He slaps the shoulder of a man meeting him in a friendly gesture and is escorted to a private car with tinted windows. He did not answer any questions from the waiting press outside.
The Russian tech mogul – who is also a citizen of France, the UAE, and St. Kitts and Nevis – was released on a €5 million ($5.55 million) bond. He is required to report to the police twice a week and must remain in France while the investigation is ongoing.
