Although Mr. Durov cannot leave France while an inquiry is ongoing, French judges have prevented him from being detained by denying him a €5 million bond.
When his private jet touched down at Le Bourget airport outside of Paris on Saturday, the billionaire founder of the encrypted messaging and social media app was taken into custody in France.
The businessman, who was born in Russia and obtained French citizenship in 2021, is charged with running a website that is utilized by organized crime groups for fraud, drug trafficking, and child sex abuse videos.
Additionally, it is alleged that Telegram declined to provide investigators with information or records.
Preliminary accusations against Mr. Durov indicate that, in accordance with French law, magistrates have good cause to suspect a crime was committed but are granting additional time for an investigation.
Russia is furious at Mr. Durov’s arrest in France and his four days of interrogation.
Supporters of the billionaire are putting paper planes throughout Moscow that bear the Telegram logo.
According to certain government authorities, his incarceration was politically motivated and evidence of the West’s discriminatory attitudes toward free speech.
