The French Public Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement released on Wednesday night (28, local time) that Russian Pavel Durov, 39, creator and CEO of Telegram, has been indicted.
According to information from the American broadcaster CNN, the French courts set bail at 5 million euros (almost R$31 million) for the businessman, who will be required to report to a police station twice a week and has been banned from leaving France. International media outlets reported that Durov has already paid the amount and has been released.
He had been arrested over the weekend upon arrival at a private airport near Paris, and earlier on Wednesday had been released from police custody and transferred to a court for questioning. Under French law, a person can be held in police custody for a maximum of 96 hours before being formally charged.
According to Politico, Durov was indicted on six charges, including complicity in the administration of an online platform for illegal transactions and making available software or data for the distribution of child pornography and drug trafficking, and refusal to cooperate with law enforcement authorities. Telegram claims that the platform follows European Union laws.
On Wednesday, the website Franceinfo and the Agence France Presse reported that Durov is also being investigated for “serious violence” against one of his sons, who now lives in Switzerland with his mother. The businessman’s defense has not yet commented on the matter.
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