Pavel Durov, Telegram’s 39-year-old tech entrepreneur and founder, was recently arrested at the Bourget airport outside Paris. The arrest stems from allegations that Telegram’s lack of content moderation has facilitated illegal activities, including money laundering, drug trafficking, and the distribution of pedophilic content.
Often referred to as the ‘Russian Zuckerberg,’ Durov created Telegram in 2013 alongside his brother Nikolai while living a nomadic lifestyle, travelling from country to country.
Durov has also gained attention for his controversial claim of being the biological father of over 100 children through sperm donations in multiple countries, which he describes as a civic duty.
Durov’s rise to fame began in Russia, where he graduated from the University of St. Petersburg in 2006. In his twenties, he became well-known for founding VKontakte (VK), a social networking site that quickly became the go-to platform for Russian-speaking users.
However, his refusal to comply with the Russian government’s demands to shut down opposition groups on VKontakte led to his departure from the country in 2014 and the eventual sale of his stake in the company.
Read also: Telegram nears profitability, eyes IPO
After leaving Russia, Durov focused on developing Telegram, which rapidly gained popularity but also stirred controversy. In 2018, Telegram was blocked in Russia after Durov refused to grant state security services access to the app’s encrypted messages. This defiance sparked protests and widespread criticism from those who saw it as an attack on digital privacy and free speech.
Durov eventually settled in Dubai and obtained citizenship in the Caribbean Island nation of Saint Kitts and Nevis. In August 2021, he quietly acquired French citizenship, a process that has been shrouded in discretion by French authorities.
Despite the controversies surrounding Telegram, the app has achieved remarkable success, positioning itself as a defender of individual freedoms by resisting censorship and fiercely protecting user confidentiality. This commitment to privacy has made Telegram a popular tool for pro-democracy protesters around the world, including in Hong Kong, Iran, Belarus, and Russia.
Durov’s net worth stands at $15.5 billion, according to Forbes. However, following news of his arrest, the value of Toncoin, the cryptocurrency he created, has dropped by more than 15 percent.
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