French authorities have temporarily lifted travel restrictions on Telegram CEO Pavel Durov, allowing him to leave the country while they continue investigating criminal activities on the messaging platform.
Durov shared in a Telegram post that he had returned to Dubai after departing from Le Bourget Airport near Paris. A spokesperson from the Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed to Bloomberg that the travel ban imposed on him during the investigation had been suspended from March 15 to April 7.
“As you may have heard, I’m back in Dubai after spending several months in France due to an investigation into criminal activities on Telegram. The process is ongoing, but it feels great to be home,” Durov stated. He expressed gratitude to the investigative judges for granting his travel request and thanked his legal team for proving that Telegram has consistently exceeded legal obligations in moderation and crime prevention.
Durov was arrested in late August 2024 at Le Bourget Airport in connection with an investigation into Telegram’s alleged use for fraud, drug trafficking, and illegal content distribution. Although he was released on a €5 million ($5.6 million) bail, authorities initially barred him from leaving France while the investigation remained active.
