Pavel Durov, the Russian-born billionaire founder of Telegram, was arrested at Le Bourget airport near Paris after arriving on a private jet from Azerbaijan.

His arrest, reportedly due to an outstanding warrant in France linked to allegations of insufficient moderation on Telegram, has sparked warnings from Moscow and criticism from Elon Musk, who claimed free speech in Europe is under threat.

Telegram defended Durov, stating the platform complies with EU laws and that the arrest is unfounded.

The investigation is being led by France’s cybersecurity and anti-fraud police units, but French authorities have not officially confirmed the arrest, Reuters reported.

Durov’s detention has garnered significant attention in Russia, where Telegram is highly influential.

Written by B.C. Begley