During the legal proceedings, Durov will remain free on the condition that he posts a bail of €5 million. However, he is prohibited from leaving France and must report to the authorities twice a week.
The charges against the creator of Telegram are as follows:
- Complicity in administering an online platform used for illegal transactions, an offense carrying a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison and a fine of €500,000.
- Failure to provide, upon request by authorized authorities, information or documents necessary for the lawful interception (data reading).
- Provision of software for DDoS attacks, distribution of child pornography, organized fraud, and illegal drug trafficking.
- Providing cryptographic services that do not ensure authentication functions.
According to French law enforcement, Telegram has been implicated in numerous cases involving various offenses, such as child abuse, human trafficking, and hate speech.
The almost complete lack of response from Telegram to legal requests was brought to the attention of France's cybercrime unit. During consultations, other French investigative services, prosecutors, and various EU partners, particularly from Belgium, expressed the need to initiate legal action. The prosecutor's office reports that a preliminary investigation began in February 2024 under the supervision of the Paris prosecutor's office, and a case was formally opened on July 8, 2024.