France, Paris: Pavel Durov, the head of Telegram, is facing scrutiny from French authorities, but his lawyer has dismissed the allegations as "completely ridiculous, according to reports from Franceinfo and BFM TV.
David-Olivier Kaminski, Durov's French attorney, defended his client, asserting that Telegram adheres strictly to European digital regulations and operates with moderation rules comparable to other major social networks.
On Wednesday, a French judge placed Durov under formal investigation concerning organized crime activities on the messaging platform. Durov has been released on bail, which requires him to pay €5 million ($5.6 million), report to the police twice a week, and remain within French borders.
Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau confirmed that the judge found sufficient grounds to investigate Durov on multiple serious charges, including alleged involvement in enabling illicit transactions, disseminating child exploitation material, drug trafficking, fraud, failure to provide information to authorities, money laundering, and offering cryptographic services to criminals.
