Pavel Durov, the billionaire founder of Telegram, criticized French authorities on Sunday, Aug. 24, over what he described as a baseless criminal investigation that has left him tied up in legal proceedings for more than a year.
Durov, who was granted temporary permission to leave the country for Dubai in March, faces multiple charges linked to allegations that Telegram enabled organized crime. In a statement posted Sunday, he argued that holding a CEO accountable for the actions of users on a global messaging platform sets a dangerous precedent.
“Arresting a CEO of a major platform over the actions of its users was not only unprecedented — it was legally and logically absurd,” Durov said.
According to Durov, French police made “a mistake” by failing to follow proper legal channels before August 2024 when submitting requests for user data. He said the company has consistently responded to every legally binding request and maintains moderation practices in line with industry standards.
Durov said he is still required to return to France every 14 days, with no appeal date set.
“Sadly, the only outcome of my arrest so far has been massive damage to France’s image as a free country,” he said.
The case against Durov highlights the growing tension between law enforcement and tech platforms over responsibility for online content, particularly as governments worldwide intensify their scrutiny of social media and messaging services.
This isn’t the first time Durov has criticized French authorities.
In September, he responded to his legal troubles in France by criticizing authorities for bypassing official EU channels and questioning him directly. He called holding a CEO liable for user crimes a “misguided approach,” especially under outdated laws.
Durov defended Telegram’s moderation efforts, noting its daily removal of harmful content and cooperation with NGOs, while reaffirming his commitment to the platform’s nearly one billion users.
As the case continues, questions remain over whether the legal battles will affect Telegram’s operations or the value of its crypto initiatives.
How TON powers Telegram’s blockchain vision
Toncoin (TON), the digital token linked to Telegram’s Telegram Open Network (TON), is currently down 6.4% over the last seven days. See the chart below.
The TON token, currently valued at $3.30, is down 60% from its all-time high of $8.25. Still, the coin is considered an integral part of Telegram’s blockchain initiatives.
Originally created by Telegram and now maintained by the TON Foundation, the token is designed to share, as Durov once put it, “the principles of decentralization pioneered by Bitcoin and Ethereum, but… vastly superior to them in speed and scalability.”
At its core, TON powers peer-to-peer payments. Users can transfer funds quickly and at minimal cost, a feature that dovetails with the platform’s push to integrate TON directly into its messaging app. Within chats, users can already send the token to friends, tip creators, or pay for services, highlighting Telegram’s role as a ready-made distribution channel for crypto adoption.
Beyond payments, it also secures the proof-of-stake network through validator staking, supports DeFi apps, NFT marketplaces, and games, and powers services like TON DNS and decentralized storage.
Telegram’s user base is roughly 1 billion monthly active users as of July 2025.
