French Media: Pavel Durov May Face Charges of Terrorism, Money Laundering, and Drug Trafficking

French media reported that after the news of Pavel Durov's arrest at an airport near Paris, he is set to appear before a judge on Saturday night and may face charges including terrorism, drug trafficking, fraud, and money laundering on Sunday. Sources close to the case have indicated that he could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison. According to reports, French legal authorities believe that Durov has participated in illegal drug trafficking, crimes against children, and fraud due to his 'insufficient moderation of Telegram, refusal to cooperate with law enforcement, and the possibility of sending cryptocurrency through the messaging service.' It is said that Pavel Durov was already on France's wanted list, and an arrest warrant had previously been issued for him; however, the reason for his stop at an airport in France remains unclear. Pavel Durov, who was traveling from Azerbaijan to France, was arrested by French police on Saturday evening, September 3, local time, after disembarking from his private jet. Paris police and French officials have not yet commented on Durov's arrest. Telegram's headquarters is based in Dubai, and the application currently has 900 million active users. Pavel Durov's current wealth is estimated at $15.5 billion. The CEO of Telegram tweeted that privacy is not for sale.