French investigative judges have placed Russian-born tech billionaire Pavel Durov under formal investigation after a four-day custody period, as part of a probe into the role of his messaging app Telegram in organised crime. Despite being placed under investigation, it does not imply guilt but suggests enough evidence to continue the probe.
Mr. Durov was granted bail on the condition of paying a €5 million deposit, signing with the police twice a week, and not leaving France. The founder of Telegram, with over 900 million users, has come under scrutiny for allegedly failing to curb extremist content on the platform.
An enigmatic figure, Durov promotes asceticism, with a current fortune estimated at $15.5 billion. His detention has sparked questions about its circumstances, with mixed reactions from officials in Russia, France, and the UAE.
Support for Durov includes tech tycoon Elon Musk, with Telegram maintaining its compliance with EU laws and industry standards in moderation. Despite being seen as a neutral platform, Telegram faces criticism for hosting illegal content.
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