ChainCatcher news, Telegram founder Pavel Durov spoke out through Telegram after being arrested in France, stating, "The claim that Telegram is some sort of anarchist paradise is absolutely untrue. We delete millions of harmful posts and channels every day. We also publish daily transparency reports and have direct communication channels with NGOs to handle urgent regulatory requests more quickly.The rapid growth of Telegram's user base to 950 million has led to growing pains for the platform, making it easier for criminals to abuse it. That is why I have made it my personal goal to significantly improve this situation. We have already started this process internally and will soon share more details about our progress with everyone."

ChainCatcher news, according to the Financial Times in the UK, Brussels is investigating whether Telegram has violated EU digital regulations by failing to provide accurate user numbers, with officials pushing to place this controversial messaging app under stricter regulation.EU legal and data experts suspect that the app has underreported its user numbers in the EU to keep its users below the 45 million threshold, as large online platforms exceeding this threshold will be subject to a series of regulations from Brussels aimed at limiting their influence.The EU investigation coincides with a broad investigation by France into alleged criminal activities on Telegram, which led to the arrest of its founder, Russian-born billionaire Pavel Durov, on Saturday. A magistrate will decide on Wednesday night whether to file charges or release him.Telegram stated that Durov "has nothing to hide." Durov now holds citizenship in France and the UAE.In February, Telegram stated it had 41 million users in the EU. According to the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA), Telegram was supposed to provide updated figures this month, but it did not, only announcing that its "average monthly active user count in the EU is well below 45 million."Two EU officials stated that the failure to provide new data puts Telegram in violation of the DSA, adding that the EU investigation may find the actual numbers to be above the threshold set for "very large online platforms."Such designation brings greater compliance and content moderation, third-party audits, and obligations for mandatory data sharing with the European Commission.

ChainCatcher news, French President Emmanuel Macron held a press conference during his diplomatic visit to Serbia. In a televised broadcast of the visit, the French leader told reporters that he did not invite Telegram co-founder Pavel Durov to France and was unaware of his plans to come to France.According to the translated version of Macron's response, the French president said: "As far as I am concerned, I am completely unaware that Mr. Pavel Durov would come to France. This is quite normal, as I do not know about people coming to France from all over the world, regardless of whether they hold French nationality."The French president then reiterated that Pavel Durov's case would be handled by "the independent actions of the French judicial system." France faces widespread opposition from the international community over the decision to arrest Durov, while Macron insists that the decision to detain the tech entrepreneur was not politically motivated.Previous news reported that, according to sources from the French newspaper Canard Chain de l'Elysée, Telegram founder Durov informed the police that he was supposed to have dinner with President Macron on the day of his arrest.

ChainCatcher news, according to the official website of the Paris court, Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has been charged with all the offenses mentioned in the introductory indictment, including:Conspiracy by an organized group to manage an online platform for illegal transactions (with a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of 500,000 euros);Refusal to provide information or documents as requested by authorized agencies;Conspiracy to commit crimes, including providing programs or data intended to disrupt automated data processing systems without justification, systematically distributing images of minors, trafficking illegal drugs, organized group fraud, and conspiracy or illegal acts for the purpose of committing crimes;Criminal and illegal money laundering by an organized group;Providing cryptocurrency services within a non-compliant framework;Providing encryption means without fully ensuring authentication or integrity control functions.Earlier reports indicated that Pavel Durov would be subject to judicial supervision, providing a bail of 5 million euros, an obligation to report to the police station twice a week, and a prohibition on leaving France.The court stated that Telegram had previously almost completely failed to respond to legal requests, drawing the attention of JUNALCO (the Paris prosecutor's office for combating organized crime) and the cybercrime department (J3), particularly OFMIN (the National Office for Minors). A preliminary investigation began in February 2024 under the guidance of the Paris prosecutor's office and was coordinated by OFMIN. According to the introductory indictment dated July 8, 2024, a judicial investigation has been initiated. The investigating judge has commissioned C3N (the National Gendarmerie Cyber Unit) and ONAF (the National Anti-Fraud Customs Office) to continue the investigation.

ChainCatcher news, according to Forbes, Telegram CEO Pavel Durov is under investigation in Switzerland due to a criminal complaint filed by his former partner Irina Bolgar, alleging child abuse. These allegations surfaced after Durov's recent arrest in France and are part of a broader legal dispute, including claims of unpaid child support and a fierce custody battle. The Geneva Public Prosecutor's Office initially refused to accept the criminal complaint against Durov because the complaint was submitted more than three months after the most recent alleged incident of physical violence.In May 2023, Bolgar appealed, and the court allowed the case to proceed last October. According to officials from the Geneva court, the case is still ongoing, with Bolgar accusing Durov of injuring their youngest son (born in September 2017) five times between 2021 and 2022. These incidents allegedly caused injuries to the child, including concussions and sleep disorders. Records from November 2021 and medical evidence from April 2023 were submitted as proof that the child continues to suffer from anxiety and sleep issues due to the violent behavior.Durov's representatives declined to comment. Bolgar's lawyer confirmed that Bolgar and her three children are involved in a civil case but refused to comment on the criminal complaint. Due to Swiss law, Durov, Bolgar, and their children have not been publicly named in the criminal case, but there are several details confirming Durov's identity in the case, including the birth year of his child and the case number of the civil child support case.

ChainCatcher news, according to Xinhua News Agency, the Paris prosecutor's office announced on the 28th that Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of the social media platform Telegram, who was previously arrested in France, was charged after being released from custody that day. He was granted bail under judicial supervision but is not allowed to leave France.Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau stated that Durov was granted bail under judicial supervision but must pay a deposit of 5 million euros, report to the police station twice a week, and is prohibited from leaving French territory.Relevant departments of the French government are investigating illegal activities on the "Telegram" platform involving fraud, drug trafficking, organized crime, child pornography, and the promotion of terrorism. Durov is accused of failing to take appropriate measures to prevent these crimes. The Paris prosecutor's office had previously issued a news announcement on the 26th, stating that a judicial investigation containing 12 charges, not targeting specific individuals, began on July 8 of this year, leading to Durov's arrest.

ChainCatcher news, according to AFP, after being detained by French investigators for nearly four days, Telegram founder Pavel Durov has been handed over to French judicial authorities who will decide on subsequent law enforcement measures. A Paris investigating judge will determine whether to bring charges against Pavel Durov, after which the French judiciary will decide whether to detain him or allow him to be released, as well as whether to impose judicial control or restrict his movements.

ChainCatcher news, according to BWENEWS, Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov has not yet been released and is currently transferred from the police to the court, with the outcome of the case still undetermined.

ChainCatcher news, according to reports from French media cited by RIA Novosti, Telegram founder Pavel Durov has been taken to a court in Paris. RIA Novosti reporters stated that on the same day, two vehicles with flashing lights sped away from the National Anti-Fraud Bureau in the suburbs of Paris, where Durov was reportedly detained earlier. Sources from the French prosecutor's office revealed that authorities plan to issue a new statement regarding the Telegram case that evening.

ChainCatcher message, according to the Wall Street Journal, a person close to Pavel Durov revealed that Telegram has long ignored subpoenas from law enforcement, piling them up in a company email inbox that is rarely checked.In 2018, French President Macron invited Pavel Durov to move Telegram to Paris and considered granting him French citizenship. Additionally, sources indicated that in 2017, French and UAE intelligence agencies collaborated to hack Durov's iPhone, with the operation code-named "Purple Music."

ChainCatcher news, according to the American political news website Politico, Telegram co-founder Pavel Durov's brother and co-founder Nikolai is also wanted by French authorities.

ChainCatcher news, the Russian independent news agency "Important Stories" reported that Telegram co-founder and CEO Pavel Durov made over 50 trips to Russia between 2015 and 2021. The report cites data about Durov's whereabouts leaked by Russia's main intelligence agency, the Federal Security Service (FSB). This data was reportedly leaked around August 20 and was hidden again on August 26. Important Stories stated that it partially verified this data by speaking with investigators associated with Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.Durov did not attempt to conceal his travels; he traveled on commercial flights of Russian airlines between St. Petersburg, Russia, and various cities in Europe, and also took Russian railway trains from Russia to Helsinki, Finland.Previously, it was reported that Durov was arrested in France on August 24. He is accused of failing to adequately supervise illegal activities on the messaging platform, with French authorities claiming that the platform was used for drug trafficking, fraud, and organized crime.

ChainCatcher news, Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has been arrested in France due to a cybercrime investigation, and the UAE is requesting consular services for him.The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated in a statement: "The UAE is closely monitoring the case of its citizen, Telegram founder Pavel Durov, who was arrested by French authorities at Paris-Le Bourget Airport. The UAE has requested the French government to urgently provide him with all necessary consular services."

ChainCatcher news, according to Coindesk, cryptocurrency investment firm Galaxy Digital has released a research report suggesting that the arrest of Telegram CEO Pavel Durov in France may just be the beginning of stricter regulations on social media platforms. The report indicates that Durov's arrest may be related to Telegram's refusal to comply with information deletion or provision requests from the European or French governments. Galaxy's research director Alex Thorn stated that it is currently unclear whether the charges against Durov involve the TON blockchain or Telegram's integration with TON.The report emphasizes that while the TON blockchain has over 350 global validator nodes, the number of nodes actually controlled by Telegram is unknown, raising doubts about TON's resilience in the face of government crackdowns. Galaxy points out that the value of TON largely depends on its integration with Telegram. How future blockchain projects avoid being accused of facilitating criminal activities may depend on their level of decentralization. Although French prosecutors have indicated that Durov may be released as early as this Wednesday, participants on the prediction platform Polymarket are not optimistic, leaning towards betting that he will be released by the end of September.

ChainCatcher message, the modular payment protocol AEON stated in a post on X that it has purchased 1 million USD worth of TON to show support for Telegram CEO Pavel Durov and the TON ecosystem.The AEON team stated that this action emphasizes the team's advocacy for freedom of speech and decentralization, reflecting their strong support for the Telegram community and the TON ecosystem.

ChainCatcher news, according to Coindesk, the probability of the prediction "Telegram founder Pavel Durov will be released before October" on Polymarket is 72%.The press release noted that if investigators find sufficient evidence during the interrogation process, Durov's detention time may be extended, or he may be formally charged and transferred to pre-trial detention.It is reported that the previous prediction on Polymarket that "Pavel Durov will be released in August" had a probability of 26%.