Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of Telegram, which recently surpassed 900 million active users worldwide, has been arrested in France. Durov’s arrest has drawn significant attention due to his tumultuous history, including the Russian government’s takeover of his previous company. Besides his professional achievements, Durov is known for some personal aspects of his life, such as being a sperm donor.
Pavel Durov was arrested at Le Bourget Airport on Saturday on the outskirts of Paris after arriving from Azerbaijan on his private jet.
The CEO’s emergency arrest is reportedly linked to an ongoing preliminary investigation by French police, who have noted that Telegram, founded by Durov, has often been criticized for becoming a haven for various crimes due to inadequate management. CNN said that “the platform was complicit in aiding fraudsters, money launders, drug traffickers and people spreading child sexual exploitation content,” adding that there has been a lack of appropriate action on these issues by Telegram.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Telegram has also served as a platform for disseminating war-related messages. Reuters previously reported that Telegram has served as a major source of unfiltered content from both sides in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
It is well-known that both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Russian government use Telegram to disseminate news. Pavel Durov, originally from Russia, launched Telegram in 2013. The platform initially catered mainly to the cryptocurrency community, but its robust encryption and strong security features quickly made it famous worldwide. This growth was driven by Telegram’s ability to offer secure and private communication.
Currently, Telegram has approximately 900 million active users. This means that of a global population of around 8.1 billion, about one in nine individuals uses this messaging application. However, Durov’s journey to success has not been without significant hardships.
In 2007, Durov founded the social media platform Vkontakte in his hometown of St. Petersburg, Russia, earning him the nickname “Mark Zuckerberg of Russia.”
However, Durov reportedly lost control of Vkontakte to the Russian government. During the 2011 Russian parliamentary and presidential elections, Vkontakte was key in disseminating information about protests against President Vladimir Putin. In response, Russian intelligence agencies demanded user data from Vkontakte, but Durov refused to comply.
As a result, the Russian government intervened through Mail.Ru Group, a major Russian internet service company. Mail.Ru Group executed a hostile takeover of Vkontakte, ultimately acquiring 100% of the company’s shares, including those held by Durov and other shareholders.
Afterward, Durov settled in Dubai, where he continues to operate Telegram. The company’s headquarters are also based in Dubai. Durov has emerged successfully despite facing numerous difficulties and reportedly holds significant wealth. According to Forbes, in 2023, his net worth is estimated at $15.5 billion.
Recently, Durov garnered attention when he revealed on Telegram that he has over 100 biological children. Despite being unmarried, he has biological children due to sperm donation. According to the Daily Mail, Durov has donated sperm to dozens of couples in 12 countries.
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