An unnamed French investigator told French media that Telegram founder Pavel Durov knew that he was wanted in France, but flew to the country anyway.
According to media reports, Durov arrived in France on a private plane from Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, accompanied by a bodyguard and an assistant. It is noted that Durov intended to spend at least one evening in Paris, where he planned to have dinner.
French media indicate that the French authorities impute Durov's inaction (refusal to moderate and cooperate with investigators) in relation to offenders operating on the Telegram platform.
On Saturday evening, French media reported that Durov was detained at Le Bourget airport. This happened when exiting a private plane, which allegedly arrived from Azerbaijan. According to the local press, Durov, who has French citizenship, was on the list of wanted persons in the country. According to them, the French justice considers Durov involved in crimes for a number of reasons, including Telegram's refusal to cooperate with the country's authorities.
On Sunday, the founder of the messenger may face charges, including terrorism, drug trafficking, fraud and money laundering.