French authorities have charged Telegram CEO Pavel Durov on Wednesday with allowing alleged criminal activity on his messaging app.
Durov was apprehended on Saturday at Le Bourget airport, just outside Paris, as part of a judicial investigation launched last month that involves 12 suspected criminal offenses. Durov was released from police custody after four days of questioning related to the allegations.
However, Durov now faces a preliminary charge against him for ”complicity in managing an online platform to allow illicit transactions by an organized group,” a crime that can lead to sentences of up to 10 years in prison and 500,000 euro fine, the prosecutor’s office said on Wednesday.
Under French law, preliminary charges mean magistrates have strong reason to believe a crime was committed but allows for more time for further investigation.
The charges against him stem from claims that Telegram has been used for distributing child sexual abuse …