Telegram founder Pavel Durov has been permitted to temporarily leave France, where he faces multiple charges related to allegedly facilitating organized crime, sources informed AFP.
“He departed France this morning,” one source close to the case told AFP, adding that Durov left with the authorities’ approval.
Another source confirmed that an investigating judge had authorized Durov to leave for “several weeks.”
A third source revealed that Durov had traveled to Dubai.
When contacted by AFP, a Telegram spokeswoman declined to comment, stating the company would issue a formal statement at a later time.
According to a source familiar with the proceedings, the investigating judge had granted Durov’s request to modify the conditions of his supervision several days prior.
Durov, 40, was dramatically detained at Le Bourget airport near Paris in August 2024 and charged with numerous offenses related to the messaging platform he founded. At the time, he had been banned from leaving France.
Following days of questioning, he was charged with multiple counts of failing to prevent extremist and terrorist content on Telegram and was released on a five-million-euro ($5.6 million) bail.
Initially critical of his arrest, Durov later indicated that he was taking steps to comply with French authorities’ demands. In January, he told investigating magistrates that he had “realized the seriousness of all the allegations,” according to a source.
AFP
