Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of Telegram, has been detained by authorities in France. The detention is connected to a search warrant alleging violations of the encrypted messaging platform.<\/p>\n
French media, including Le Monde, reported<\/a> that Durov was arrested upon arriving from Azerbaijan in his private jet at Le Bourget airport, situated north of Paris. Le Monde\u2019s report, referencing sources familiar with the matter, confirmed Durov\u2019s arrest.\u00a0<\/p>\n Bloomberg also highlighted<\/a> a Telegram post<\/a> by Maria Zakharova, a Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman who verified the arrest, adding further validity to the story about the event.<\/p>\n French authorities have launched a preliminary investigation into Telegram, the popular messaging platform, with L\u2019Office Mineurs (OFMIN), the agency responsible for monitoring crimes against minors, issuing a search warrant.\u00a0<\/p>\n AFP claims that the probe covers a spectrum of claimed misdeeds, including fraud<\/a>, drug trafficking, cyberbullying, and organized crime activity enabled by the site. The examination results from worries about Telegram\u2019s inadequate content control methods.<\/p>\n Office of Financial Market Integrity (OFMIN) is leading the inquiry against Durov. According to reports, Durov was supposed to appear in court on Aug. 25. Given the gravity of the charges committed, accusations against him might result in a 20-year jail sentence.<\/p>\n Third-party blockchain system TON, integrated with Telegram, continues<\/a> to operate as usual despite Durov\u2019s legal objections. A recent comment on TON\u2019s official X account verified the protocol\u2019s stability and underlined the encouraging reaction of its community under the current circumstances. Telegram has yet to mention the founder\u2019s detention.\u00a0<\/p>\n Statement from the TON Community<\/p>\n Following the recent news related to the Telegram\u2019s founder Pavel Durov, we want to assure everyone that the TON community remains strong and fully operational.<\/p>\n As a community committed to freedom of speech and decentralization, we stand firmly\u2026<\/p>\n \u2014 TON (@ton_blockchain) August 24, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n\n The platform added: \u201cAs a community committed to freedom of speech and decentralization, we stand firmly by Pavel during this challenging time. Pavel has been a dedicated advocate for these values, and we believe his efforts to promote an open and decentralized internet will continue to inspire millions.\u201d<\/p>\n The Telegram-linked TON token experienced a sharp decline of up to 17% following reports of Durov\u2019s arrest in France. As of the latest update<\/a>, TON is trading slightly above $5.72, marking a 15% drop in just a few hours.<\/p>\n Community Reaction On Telegram CEO\u2019s Arrest<\/p>\n On Aug. 24, Tesla CEO and X platform owner Elon Musk voiced his support for Durov by posting a past interview between Durov and independent journalist Tucker Carlson on his social media, accompanied by the hashtag #FreePavel.<\/p>\n #FreePavel<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/B7AcJWswMs<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 25, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n\n In a recent video statement, Durov praised Musk\u2019s acquisition of Twitter, describing it as a beneficial move for technological advancement and the promotion of free speech.<\/p>\n Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin answered<\/a> an X post by American entrepreneur and investor Balaji Srinivasan, addressing the issue further. While Buterin has publicly criticized Telegram\u2019s encryption policies in the past, he voiced grave worries about the latest accusations against the site.\u00a0<\/p>\n He underlined possible future consequences for the freedom of software and communication in Europe and defined the first elements as \u201cvery bad and worrying.\u201d As the narrative started to take flight on social media, with Telegram<\/a> trending on platform X, several eminent people provided their analysis.\u00a0<\/p>\nTelegram CEO Under Investigation By French Authorities<\/h2>\n
The Impact On TON<\/h2>\n