Telegram’s founder, Pavel Durov, is facing allegations of violence against his six-year-old son.
French authorities are investigating claims that Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov engaged in “serious acts of violence” against his son, according to a report by AFP on Wednesday. This investigation is separate from an ongoing probe into Durov’s potential involvement in a range of criminal activities.
The 39-year-old Russian, who also holds citizenship in France, the UAE, and St. Kitts and Nevis, appeared before a Paris court on Wednesday. Although he has not been formally indicted in either French case, a decision on whether to do so is expected overnight.
Durov could be charged with 12 criminal offenses, including facilitating drug trafficking, money laundering, involvement in organized crime, and aiding in the distribution of child pornography. Paris prosecutors allege that an “unnamed person” used Durov’s app to commit various offenses. Durov’s refusal to provide user data to law enforcement has led to his investigation, as reported by Politico on Wednesday.
Shortly after Durov arrived at the court, France’s AFP news agency reported that he was also under investigation for suspected “serious acts of violence” against his six-year-old son. Citing “a source close to the case,” AFP revealed that France’s child welfare office initiated the probe.
Durov’s son was born in Russia and currently resides in Switzerland with his mother, Irina Bolgar. It remains unclear if the investigation is connected to a criminal complaint filed against Durov by Bolgar in Switzerland last year. According to court documents reviewed by Forbes magazine, Bolgar accused her ex-partner of five instances of violence against their son before initiating a child custody case.
Both legal cases were initiated shortly after Durov allegedly stopped paying Bolgar €150,000 ($167,500) in monthly child support, as noted by Forbes. Durov has also claimed to have fathered children in 12 countries through sperm donation.
In a statement released on Sunday, Telegram dismissed the allegations, calling it “absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform.” Telegram maintains that it complies with local laws, including the EU’s Digital Rights Act (DSA) and anti-Russian sanctions. Neither Durov nor Telegram have commented on the alleged child abuse case.
Anti-censorship activists have characterized Durov’s arrest as part of a broader campaign against free speech orchestrated by Western governments. NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden has accused France of taking Durov “hostage” to gain access to private communications on Telegram. X Owner Elon Musk, American journalist Tucker Carlson, and Silicon Valley investor David Sacks have all condemned Durov’s arrest as an attack on free speech.