Paris court: Durov charged with six crimes has launched a judicial investigation into Telegram
On August 29, according to the official website of the Paris court, Telegram CEO Pavel Durov was indicted for all the crimes mentioned in the introductory indictment, including:
Conspiracy of organized groups to manage online platforms for illegal transactions (offences punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a fine of 500,000 euros);
Refusing to provide information or documents at the request of an authorized authority.
Conspiracy to commit crimes, including providing programs or data designed to disrupt automated data processing systems without justification, the organized distribution of images of minors, the trafficking of illegal drugs, organized gang fraud, conspiracy or violation of the law for the purpose of committing a crime;
Crime and illegal money laundering by organized gangs;
Providing encrypted services under non-compliance frameworks;
Provide encryption without fully ensuring authentication or integrity control capabilities.
Pavel Durov will be subject to judicial supervision, provided with bail of 5 million euros, an obligation to report to the police twice a week and a ban on leaving France.
The court said that Telegram's previous almost complete failure to respond to legal requests had attracted the attention of the anti-cybercrime unit (J3) of JUNALCO (National Jurisdiction for Combating Organized Crimes of the Paris Prosecutor's Office), and in particular OFMIN (National Office for Minors). The preliminary investigation began in February 2024 under the direction of the Paris Prosecutor's Office and coordinated by OFMIN. On the basis of the introductory indictment dated July 8, 2024, a judicial investigation has been initiated. The investigating judge entrusted C3N (Cyber Unit of the National Gendarmerie) and ONAF (National Customs Office against Fraud) to continue the investigation.