Telegram arrest: Who is Pavel Durov and what is his app?

Telegram is one of the world's most popular apps where groups of up to 200,000 users can exchange messages.

British Broadcasting CorporationWatchHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureTravelEarthVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS ElectionUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessWomen at the HelmFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureTravelEarthVideoLiveAudioWeatherNewslettersWho is Pavel Durov and what is Telegram?Getty ImagesPavel Durov founded Telegram in 2013Pavel Durov, the CEO of messaging app Telegram, has been arrested in France.

On Monday evening, the Paris prosecutor said in a statement that Mr Durov was being held in custody as part of a cyber-crime investigation. The statement mentioned 12 different offences under investigation that it said were linked to organised crime.

These included illicit transactions, content showing child sex abuse, fraud and the refusal to disclose information to authorities, the prosecutor said.

Telegram said in a statement that "it is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner is responsible for abuse of that platform".

Mr Durov, 39, is a multi-billionaire who is originally from Russia.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2x5yw8z7yo

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