Presales

Telegram Founder Pavel Durov Questioned In Court Over Allegations Of Criminal Activity On The Messaging Platform

If found guilty, Telegram Founder Pavel Durov faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of €500,000 in the French legal system.

By Alex Ioannou

Last Updated: Dec 7, 2024

Fact checked

By Sam Cooling

If found guilty, Durov faces up to ten years in prison and a fine of €500,000. Plus: Wall Street Pepe presale is flying, nearly $2m raised.

Pavel Durov, the founder of the messaging app Telegram, was questioned in a Paris court for the first time regarding a legal case involving allegations of criminal activity on the platform.

Yesterday (December 6), Durov appeared with his legal team at a court in Paris at around 10 am CET.

Following His Arrest, Durov Has Told The Press That He “Trusts The French Justice System”

Agence France-Presse (AFP) has reported via an anonymous source close to the matter that the questioning focused on the allegations tied to Telegram’s potential use for illicit transactions.

When asked about the legal proceedings, Durov told the AFP that he “trusts the French justice system” but refused to elaborate further on the case.

The Telegram founder’s issues with the law began on August 24, when he was briefly arrested at Le Bourget airport in Paris.

Durov was released after posting a $6 million bail. However, he is banned from leaving France until March 2025. French prosecutors have accused Durov of building a platform that allows illegal activities to occur.

Paris’ prosecutor’s office issued an official statement of preliminary charges against Durov on August 28, following his arrest. The statement accused the Telegram founder of facilitating a platform that enables illicit transactions.

DISCOVER: Year-End Reflection: How Bitcoin And Crypto Reshaped Financial Landscape In 2024?

Telegram Founder Faces A 10-Year Prison Sentence If Found Guilty

If Pavel Durov is found guilty, he could reportedly face up to 10 years in prison with a fine of €500,000 ($550,000).

According to the prosecutor’s office, France began a preliminary investigation into Telegram in February 2024. It was then escalated to a judicial inquiry on July 8, over a month before Durov’s arrest at Le Bourget airport.

Prior to his arrest, Durov’s phone was allegedly hacked in 2017. This took place a year before his meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron and was reported by the Wall Street Journal via anonymous sources.

Following the arrests of Pavel Durov and Tornado Cash developer, Alexey Pertsev, industry insiders have voiced their concerns regarding worrying implications for the cryptocurrency space. Many believe that the arrests of Durov and Pertsev are part of a wider crackdown on developers of privacy-preserving technologies.

BONUS: Wall Street Pepe (WEPE) About To Hit $2 Million In Early Stage Funding In Just Three Days

Wall Street Pepe (WEPE) looks set to be one of the biggest presales of 2024 and possibly 2025. The team has attracted nearly $2 million in presale funding while only being live for a handful of days. This proves that frog-themed meme coins are still one of the hottest attractions of this cycle for degen investors.

However, the early success of WEPE is likely due to its added utility, attracting serious investors and meme coin enjoyers alike. The team at Wall Street Pepe has designed a suite of tools that will make WEPE stand out from other meme coins on the market. The project website lists the following;

Trading Alpha: Joining the WEPE squad opens up an opportunity for investors to unlock data-driven insights, signals, and calls that are relevant to their trades. This impressive offering gives users an edge over other traders, allowing them to discover potential market opportunities before they become public knowledge.

Insider Group: Holding $WEPE means investors will no longer be an outsider in the wild west of crypto. Known as the WEPE Army, Wall Street Pepe’s insider group will serve as a platform where hungry traders discuss strategies, share ideas, and join hands together to achieve collective wins.

Attractive Trading Rewards/Perks: Wall Street Pepe is also offering an avenue for community members to partake in trade competitions every week with big rewards on offer for the winners.

Due to WEPE still being in the early stages of its presale, there is a juicy staking APY on offer for those who choose to earn some sweet passive income on their presale bag. Simply purchase and stake, put your feet up, and relax, waiting for the presale to conclude and increasing your stack of WEPE in the process.

Visit the Wall Street Pepe Presale Website

EXPLORE: Pudgy Penguins NFT Collection Announces PENGU Token: Launching This Year

Join The 99Bitcoins News Discord Here For The Latest Market Updates

Disclaimer Icon
Disclaimer
Crypto is a high-risk asset class. This article is provided for informational purposes and does not constitute investment advice. You could lose all of your capital.
99Bitcoins may receive advertising commissions for visits to a suggested operator through our affiliate links, at no added cost to you. All our recommendations follow a thorough review process.

Free Bitcoin Crash Course

  • Enjoyed by over 100,000 students.
  • One email a day, 7 days in a row.
  • Short and educational, guaranteed!

Why you can trust 99Bitcoins

10+ Years

Established in 2013, 99Bitcoin’s team members have been crypto experts since Bitcoin’s Early days.

90hr+

Weekly Research

100k+

Monthly readers

50+

Expert contributors

2000+

Crypto Projects Reviewed

Google News Icon
Follow 99Bitcoins on your Google News Feed
Get the latest updates, trends, and insights delivered straight to your fingertips. Subscribe now!
Subscribe now
Alex Ioannou
Alex Ioannou
On-Chain Journalist

Alex is an aspiring writer focusing on the more degen side of the crypto world. Always on the lookout for the next hot narrative. Read More

Back to top