Telegram founder Pavel Durov has been granted temporary permission to leave France, where he is facing multiple charges related to allegedly facilitating organized crime through his messaging platform, sources told AFP. Durov, 40, was allowed to leave France earlier today after receiving approval from the authorities.
According to one source, an investigating judge has authorized Durov’s temporary departure for a period of “several weeks.”
The Russian entrepreneur first attracted attention in August 2024 when he was detained at Le Bourget airport near Paris and charged with several offenses related to his messaging app, Telegram. At the time, he was banned from leaving the country while the investigation continued.
After several days of questioning, Durov faced a series of charges, including allegations of failing to prevent extremist and terrorist content on the platform. He was later released on a bail of five million euros ($5.6 million). Initially, Durov criticized the arrest, but he has since taken actions that seem to align with the French authorities’ demands.
In January, during a testimony to French investigators, Durov reportedly acknowledged the severity of the allegations against him, according to sources with knowledge of the case.