According to sources close to the investigation, Pavel Durov, CEO and founder of Telegram, was questioned by an investigating judge in Paris, focusing on allegations that the Telegram platform was used for organized crime activities.
The 40-year-old entrepreneur obtained French nationality in 2021 and now holds both French and Russian passports. In 2024, Durov was detained in Paris and subsequently formally investigated, accused of operating a platform that allegedly disseminated information about illegal transactions, child sexual exploitation images, and other illegal content.
On Monday morning, Durov appeared at the Paris court with four lawyers for the third round of questioning since the case began. The case involves multiple charges related to organized crime.
Durov firmly denied all allegations. His legal team issued a statement saying that the day's trial "provided Durov with an opportunity to further clarify the facts, refute false accusations, and reveal the absurdity of the entire investigation."
In the first interrogation in December 2024, Durov stated that he founded Telegram not for illegal purposes, but admitted that criminal activities did exist on the platform and promised to strengthen content review and regulation.
A source familiar with the case told AFP that since Durov has been under investigation, cooperation between Telegram and French authorities has significantly improved.
Durov was once banned from leaving France, but since July 2025, his judicial restrictions have been moderately relaxed, allowing him to return to the UAE for short periods, with each stay lasting no more than two weeks.
His lawyers emphasized in a statement: "We strongly oppose the prosecution of this case and question the legality of many of the investigative procedures, which clearly violate French domestic law and European law."
According to informed sources, Durov's legal team has raised legal challenges in France regarding the constitutionality of the case and has requested a preliminary ruling from the highest court in Europe.
