Pavel Durov, the billionaire co-founder and CEO of the Telegram messaging app, was arrested at Bourget Airport near Paris on Saturday evening, according to a report by TF1 TV. The arrest reportedly occurred around 8 PM local time (6 PM GMT) after Durov, who was traveling on his private jet, was flagged by an arrest warrant issued in France.
The 39-year-old entrepreneur was traveling from Azerbaijan at the time of his arrest and is expected to appear in court on Sunday. Durov, who was born in Russia, now resides in Dubai, where Telegram is headquartered. He holds dual citizenship in France and the United Arab Emirates.
Durov is well-known for his departure from Russia in 2014 after refusing government demands to shut down opposition groups on his VK social media platform, which he subsequently sold. Forbes estimates his net worth at $15.5 billion (£12 billion).
The Russian embassy in France is reportedly taking "immediate steps" to gather more information about Durov's arrest. A representative from the embassy told TASS that, although they have not been contacted by Durov's team, they are proactively working to clarify the situation.
Telegram, founded by Durov and his brother Nikolai in 2013, has grown to around 900 million active users. The app is known for its end-to-end encrypted messaging and the ability to create "channels" for broadcasting information to large audiences. Telegram has not yet responded to requests for comment on the arrest.
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