Who Is Pavel Durov? Telegram Founder And ‘Russia’s Mark Zuckerberg’ Detained In France

Pavel Durov, the billionaire founder of Telegram, was arrested upon arriving in France over the weekend on his private jet. The arrest followed a search warrant related to an investigation into the lack of moderators on the encrypted messaging app and potential criminal activity by its users.

Durov, often referred to as “Russia’s Mark Zuckerberg,” is a prominent figure in the tech world. Born in Russia, he launched Telegram in 2013 and has amassed a fortune estimated at $15.5 billion, ranking him as the 120th richest person globally.

Durov left Russia in 2014 after defying government demands to shut down opposition communities on VKontakte, a social media platform he had previously founded.

Currently a French citizen, Durov also holds citizenship in the UAE and St Kitts and Nevis. Telegram, known for its strong encryption and privacy features, has seen rapid growth, surpassing 700 million active monthly users in 2023 and aiming for 1 billion within the year.

However, its increasing popularity has drawn scrutiny, particularly in Europe, over security and data concerns.

Durov is also noted for his philanthropy, having reportedly helped over 100 couples across 12 countries through sperm donation.

His distinctive style often mirrors that of Neo from “The Matrix” films. Following his arrest, Moscow activists have rallied in support, placing paper planes—symbolic of Telegram—near the French embassy.

In a recent interview with Tucker Carlson, Durov emphasized his preference for freedom over compliance with authority.