Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, was questioned for the first time in Paris regarding a legal case involving allegations that the messaging app facilitated criminal activities.

On December 6, Durov appeared in court in Paris at 10 am CET, accompanied by his lawyers, David-Olivier Kaminski and Christophe Ingrain. An anonymous source familiar with the matter told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that the questioning focused on allegations related to Telegram’s potential use for illicit transactions.

Responding to questions about the legal proceedings, Durov told AFP that he “trusts the French justice system” but refused to provide details about the case.

The Telegram founder’s legal troubles began on August 24 when he was temporarily detained at Le Bourget airport in Paris. Released after posting a $6 million bail, Durov has been restricted from leaving France until March 2025.

French prosecutors accused Durov of operating a platform allegedly facilitating illegal activities, referencing preliminary charges announced on August 28. Industry experts view the case against Durov as a concerning development for privacy-preserving Web3 technologies.

Summary of the Legal Case Against Durov

The Paris prosecutor’s office issued an official statement of preliminary charges against Durov on August 28, accusing the Telegram founder of operating a platform that facilitates illegal transactions.

If convicted, Durov could face up to 10 years in prison and a €500,000 ($550,000) fine. According to the prosecutor’s office, France launched a preliminary investigation into Telegram in February 2024, which escalated to a judicial inquiry on July 8, one month before Durov’s arrest in Paris.

In another development, anonymous sources told The Wall Street Journal that Durov’s phone was hacked in 2017, a year before his meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron. Industry experts had previously warned that Durov’s detention could have troubling implications for the cryptocurrency world.

Durov’s Arrest Sparks Concerns Over Web3 Privacy

According to Vyara Savova, senior policy lead at the European Crypto Initiative, the case bears alarming similarities to the arrest of Tornado Cash developer Alexey Pertsev.

Vyara Savova: “Some parallels with Pertsev’s arrest and sentence can already be made, such as that these are actions of individual member states that do not represent a procedure brought up by the EU or its executive body, the European Commission.”

Nikolay Denisenko, co-founder and chief technology officer of the financial app Brighty, stated that the arrest could signal a troubling assault on developers of privacy-preserving technologies.

Nikolay Denisenko: “This of course raises concerns about potential government overreach and the broader implications for digital privacy.”

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Early Sunday, the Russian Embassy in France made a statement claiming the French government was not interacting with their attempts at Durov access. “We promptly asked the French authorities for an explanation regarding the circumstances behind P.V. Durov’s detention once word of it leaked to the media. We also insisted that they guarantee his rights protection and give consular access. The French side has not yet engaged in this matter as of right now. We are in touch with the attorney for P.V. Durov,” a translated copy of the statement states.

According to some Russian authorities, the detention is an indirect hostile act directed towards Russia, as the Wall Street Journal article notes. Although some sources claim Durov is a dual citizen of France and Russia, others claim he is both a French and a U.A.E. citizen.

According to the Paris prosecutor’s office, French officials are likely to respond to the detention in a statement on Monday. From money-laundering accusations to “pedocriminal content,” French media claims Durov might face charges pertaining to Telegram’s activities and the lack of moderation on the network.

Related: Telegram CEO Pavel Durov Arrested in France for Multiple Offenses

Claiming “Telegram abides by EU laws, including the Digital Services Act,” and “Telegram’s CEO Pavel Durov has nothing to hide and travels frequently in Europe,” Telegram also addressed the arrest for the first time on Sunday.

Although some news sources claim Durov would spend 20 years in prison, the number was absent from the first reporting by French journalists.

Following his arrest, many prominent players in the crypto space—including X platform owner Elon Musk, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin (whose viewpoint was based on information thus far), TRON founder Justin Sun, Solana co-founder Anatoly Yakovenko, and others—have voiced support for Durov.

Since word of the arrest leaked, Toncoin’s price has dropped roughly 16%.

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