Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has been formally charged by French prosecutors and banned from leaving the country amid investigations into a Russian billionaire. Durov was formally charged on Wednesday with “participating in the distribution of child pornography, illegal drugs and software hacking” in the messaging app he founded, as well as “refusing to cooperate with investigations into illegal activity at Telegram.” The Wall Street Journal .
Durov, who was arrested outside Paris on Saturday, was released from police custody after paying a bail of 5 million euros. He is required to remain “under judicial supervision” in France and to check in at a police station twice a week until the investigation is completed. This could take months or maybe years WSJ notes.
It means Durov, as it is often known and working from other countries will be stuck in France for the foreseeable future unless charges are dropped against him. Earlier Telegram called the accusations against its founder “absurd” and said that it should not be held responsible for the actions of its users.
