00:00France, on Wednesday, charged Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of Telegram, with multiple
00:06violations related to the messaging app.
00:09The 39-year-old billionaire, who was detained for four days, has been banned from leaving
00:14the country but was allowed to walk free after his arrest.
00:18Durov faced several charges, including failing to curb extremist and illegal content on Telegram,
00:25following a hearing with investigating magistrates in Paris.
00:28He was arrested late Saturday at Le Bourget Airport near Paris and subsequently questioned
00:34by investigators.
00:35Paris prosecutor Laure Becquot announced that Durov was granted conditional release with
00:40a bail set at 5 million euros, or approximately 24 million ringgit.
00:45As part of the conditions, he must report to a police station twice a week and remain
00:50in France.
00:51The charges against Durov involve alleged crimes committed by an organized group, including
00:56complicity in managing an online platform to facilitate illicit transactions.
01:02He has also been charged with refusing to provide documents requested by authorities,
01:06and with dissemination of child pornography images by an organized group, as well as drug
01:12trafficking, fraud, and money laundering.
01:15Durov's lawyer, David-Olivier Kaminsky, dismissed the charges as absurd, asserting
01:21that Durov cannot be held responsible for crimes committed on the app, and stating that
01:26Telegram fully complies with European digital technology regulations.
01:30Separately, a source said Durov is also being investigated on suspicion of serious acts
01:36of violence towards one of his children, while he and an ex-partner, the boy's mother, were
01:41in Paris.
01:42She also filed another complaint against Durov in Switzerland last year.
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