Telegram founder Pavel Durov formally charged with 6 serious crimes

Wu learned that, according to the Paris Judicial Court, Telegram founder Pavel Durov has been formally charged with 6 serious crimes, including: assisting in operating online platforms for illegal transactions in an organized manner, refusing to provide necessary information to authorities, assisting in multiple criminal activities, money laundering, failure to declare encrypted services as required, and providing encrypted tools without declaration. The investigation by the prosecution also found that the Telegram platform did not effectively respond to judicial requests in cases involving child pornography, drug trafficking, and cybercrime. Therefore, the French National Judicial Authority for Combating Organized Crime (JUNALCO) has decided to launch a criminal investigation. The preliminary investigation was initiated in February 2024, and the case was officially filed on July 8. Further investigations have been entrusted to the National Gendarmerie's Cybercrime Unit (C3N) and the National Customs Anti-Fraud Office (ONAF).