In a recent development, Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram who hails from both France and Russia, has been given the thumbs up to travel from France to Dubai for a few weeks, as judicial terms overseeing him have been adjusted. This news comes by way of Le Parisien, who reported the update on Saturday, citing sources from AFP.

A source close to the situation let the news outlet know that Durov took off from Le Bourget Airport, near Paris, earlier today. This departure was officially sanctioned by the authorities.

You might remember Pavel Durov being apprehended at Le Bourget Airport last August. Following this, he was placed under formal investigation. Though he managed to secure release on €5 million bail, he remained in France, unable to leave while the investigation rolled on.

French authorities have leveled serious accusations against Durov, hitting him with multiple criminal charges. These charges are linked to how Telegram is being use, including allegations of enabling the distribution of CSAM, facilitating drug trades, organized fraud, and a range of other illicit activities. Adding to the platform’s woes, Telegram is also being called out for allegedly not playing ball with law enforcement, specifically in regard to providing needed information for ongoing investigations.

Durov Acknowledges Telegram’s Problems, Pledges Better Moderation

Telegram’s CEO made his first appearance in a Paris court just last December.

According to an AFP report from December, Durov stated that it was during his time in police custody in Paris that he really grasped the magnitude of the issues plaguing the platform. He then promised to step up Telegram’s moderation game.

Durov, initially pointing fingers at France for not giving adequate warnings, later asserted that he was indeed cooperating fully with French authorities. He even mentioned that everyone from the President’s office to intelligence services had his contact details.

During his first significant questioning session on December 6th, Durov restated that back in 2013, he and his brother didn’t create Telegram “for criminals,” even though he admitted that their presence had grown. He mentioned the platform is currently taking down “15 to 20 million user accounts and one to two million channels and groups” each month.

This Dubai-based company, which announced its very first annual net profit recently in late December, is also dealing with a hefty $2 billion debt, according to Durov.

Durov also revealed that Telegram had provided “identifying information concerning more than 10,000 users” in the first half of 2024. However, when this number was brought up considering Telegram’s massive 950 million users, an investigating magistrate pointed out the relatively small proportion.

French Authorities Hand Back Durov’s Passport

In a turn of events, French authorities have given Telegram founder Pavel Durov his passport back, paving the way for him to exit the country. This was announced earlier today by the TON Foundation.

The foundation voiced their backing for Durov and Telegram’s core mission in an official statement:

“Speaking for the decentralized TON community, we’ve stood shoulder to shoulder with Pavel, in support of his unwavering commitment to defending online free speech and privacy.”

Following the announcement, Toncoin (TON) witnessed a significant surge, jumping 19% to roughly $3.5, as per CoinGecko data.

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