In 2021, Russian billionaire Pavel Durov obtained French nationality through his “emeritus” action. Three years later, it is also on our soil that the boss of Telegram is caught up by the courts, which criticizes him for his inaction with regard to the criminal networks that use his encrypted messaging. This self-proclaimed libertarian claims on the contrary to have helped foil attacks. Investigation.
“I saved lives”… During his 96 hours in police custody, Pavel Durov tried everything to convince French investigators, the Paris prosecutor’s office and the investigating judges of his good faith. To impress his interlocutors, the Telegram boss even claimed – something the Élysée denies – that he had landed in Paris on Saturday, August 24, with the aim of meeting the president.
According to our sources, while in police custody, the 39-year-old boss spoke at length about his ties with the head of state. He said that in 2018, Emmanuel Macron had put him in contact with secret service figures with the aim of setting up a discreet “digital channel”allowing communication when “lives would be in danger”. A hitherto secret and discreet breach of the dogma according to which “Telegram does not communicate with the judicial authorities”, which has caused the entrepreneur his troubles with the French justice system. “This channel with the French services really worked,” supports Marianne a close friend of Durov, claiming that “Telegram helped foil attacks”.
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