A French court charged Telegram CEO Pavel Durov with a series of crimes, alleging he was “complicit” in a litany of charges about illegal behavior that took place on the platform. Authorities accused Durov of aiding in drug trafficking, spreading child sexual assault material, and abetting organized crime. Durov is also charged with obstructing the investigation into his company.
The 39-year-old’s arrest is among the first instances in which the CEO of a major online platform is being held personally and criminally liable for the content it hosted. Telegram’s function as a secure, encrypted messaging service combined with the company’s aversion to content moderation made it a breeding ground for the illegal behavior alleged by French prosecutors, legal experts explained.
