Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of the instant messaging software Telegram, posted on Monday that he has returned to Dubai after being detained in France for several months due to an investigation related to criminal activities on the Telegram platform. He added that the relevant investigation procedures are still ongoing, but “it feels great to be home.”
In his post, Durov thanked the judge for allowing him to return home, as well as his lawyers and team for their efforts, stating that they “have proven that Telegram has not only met but exceeded its legal obligations in controlling, cooperating, and combating crime over the years.” Durov also expressed gratitude to the millions of supporters worldwide, stating that it means a lot to him, and asserted that “there is nothing that our community of one billion people cannot overcome.”
In August of last year, as part of an investigation against Telegram, French authorities arrested Durov and accused him of running a platform that permits illegal activities.
News of Durov’s permission to leave France circulated over the past weekend, coinciding with a surge of over 15% in the native token TON of The Open Network, a blockchain closely associated with Telegram. As of the time of this publication, the trading price of TON was approximately $3.42.
