Telegram CEO accused of “criminal use” of the app: travel ban for France and more

Pavel DurovCEO and co-founder of telegramwas accused in France of facilitating various forms of crime on the instant messaging app, French prosecutors have said. A French judge has opened an official investigation against Durov but granted him bail on the condition that he pay 5 million euros, report to the police twice a week and stay on French territory.
The Paris prosecutor said the judge found that Durov should be formally investigated on all the charges on which he was arrested at an airport in the city on August 24. The businessman was detained for up to 96 hours – or four days – the maximum length of time someone can be held in custody under French law before charges are brought.

What allegations were made against Durov?

Durov was arrested as part of an investigation launched last month into 12 alleged crimes, the Paris prosecutor's office said. The charges include aiding and abetting the sale of child sexual abuse material and drug trafficking, fraud, aiding and abetting organized crime transactions and refusing to provide information or documents to investigators when required by law.
One of the charges – complicity in managing an online platform that facilitates illegal transactions by an organized group – carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of 500,000 euros ($555,750), prosecutors said.
The Paris public prosecutor's office accuses Telegram of almost completely failing to respond to legal requests for user data, thus hampering its efforts to combat cybercrime.
Meanwhile, a lawyer for the Telegram boss said the investigation was “completely absurd” because Durov was responsible for all crimes committed on the platform, Reuters news agency quoted French media as saying.
“It is completely absurd to assume that the head of a social network could be involved in criminal acts that do not concern him either directly or indirectly,” said Durove's lawyer
“Telegram fully complies with European digital regulations,” he added.