On Wednesday August 28, 2024, French authorities released Telegram CEO Pavel Durov from police custody following four days of questioning over charges that the platform is being used for illicit purposes.

Mr. Durov was held on Saturday (August 24, 2024) at Le Bourget airport outside Paris as part of a judicial investigation launched last month on 12 alleged criminal offenses.


"An investigating judge has ended Pavel Durov's police custody and will have him brought to court for a first appearance and possible indictment," according to a statement from the Paris prosecutor's office.

Other allegations against Mr. Durov, who is a French citizen, include that his platform is being used for child sexual abuse material and drug trafficking, fraud and abetting organised crime transactions and that Telegram refused to share information or documents with investigators when required by law.