- The 39-year-old is due to appear in court today to face possible charges.
Telegram mogul Pavel Durov has been released from police custody after four days of questioning over allegations that his platform is being used for illegal activities.
The 39-year-old billionaire is still scheduled to appear in court today to face possible charges for failing to curb extremist and illegal content on the popular messaging app following his arrest over the weekend.
Durov was arrested on Saturday at Le Bourget airport outside Paris as part of a judicial investigation opened last month into 12 alleged criminal violations.
“An investigating judge has ended Pavel Durov’s pretrial detention and will bring him before the court for a first appearance and possible arraignment,” the Paris prosecutor’s office said.
Other allegations against Durov, who is a French citizen, include that his platform is being used for child sexual abuse material and drug trafficking, fraud and instigating organized crime transactions, and that Telegram refused to share information or documents with investigators when required by law.
Durov was arrested on Saturday at Le Bourget airport outside Paris as part of a judicial investigation opened last month involving 12 alleged criminal violations.
A Paris investigating judge will decide whether to press charges against Durov, and the judiciary will then decide whether to keep him in custody or release him, possibly under judicial supervision with restrictions on his movements.