Telegram CEO charged with ‘complicity’ in grave crimes as French gov websites face DDoS attacks

The Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office has issued a press release detailing the official charges against Telegram CEO Pavel Durov. The judicial investigation, opened on July 8, 2024, following a preliminary inquiry by the Fight against Cybercrime Unit (JUNALCO), lists multiple grave allegations against an unnamed individual, with Durov, who was arrested over the weekend, accused of complicity in these activities through the Telegram platform.

The charges include complicity in operating an online platform to enable illegal transactions in an organized group; refusing to provide information necessary for legal interceptions; complicity in possession and distribution of child pornography in an organized group; providing tools for illegal access to automated data processing systems, and criminal association for committing crimes, complicity in drug trafficking, organized fraud, and money laundering related to organized crime.

Durov was also charged with providing “cryptology” services without proper certification, as well as another charge for “importing cryptology tools” without prior declaration.

The prosecutor’s office further stated that Durov’s custody, which began on August 24, could last up to 96 hours until August 28, given the procedure applicable to organized crime offenses.

Telegram responded to the charges in a statement, asserting that it complies with European Union laws and dismissing the allegations as unfounded. The company emphasized that Durov has “nothing to hide” and criticized the notion that the platform or its founder should be held accountable for potential misuse by some users.

The arrest and subsequent charges have sparked reactions from various quarters. Tech leaders and privacy advocates have expressed concern about this event’s implications for digital communication platforms and user privacy, which could potentially set a dangerous precedent for how governments might target tech leaders in the future, prompting fears of overreach. However, critics of Telegram have also argued that the platform’s minimal moderation approach has enabled various illegal activities.

Durov’s arrest was ‘not political’ : Macron

French President Emmanuel Macron found himself on the defensive as reactions to the arrest grew. In a statement released on August 26, Macron attempted to quell growing international concern by asserting that Durov’s arrest was not politically motivated. The French leader emphasized his nation’s commitment to freedom of speech and expression, insisting that the case would be handled by France’s independent judiciary system.

However, Macron’s words failed to stem the tide of criticism. The crypto community and free speech activists rallied to Durov’s defense. Gabor Gurbacs, former director of digital asset strategy at VanEck, pointedly questioned the French approach:

“You arrest the guy then see if he did something wrong? Is this the ‘rule of law’ and ‘freedom of expression’ you are talking about?”

The chorus of voices calling for Durov’s release grew louder, with industry names such as Elon Musk adding his voice to the growing protest, posting a #FreePavel video on X. Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin also his concerns on the matter.

“I’ve criticized Telegram before for not being serious with encryption, but given the info available so far: the charge seems to be just being ‘unmoderated’ and not giving up people’s data. This looks very bad and worrying for the future of software and comms freedom in Europe,” Buterin said on X, responding to a post from Balaji Srinivasan.

French government websites under attack

On August 26, reports began circulating that several key French government websites had gone offline in what appeared to be a denial of service (DDoS) attack. The Administrative Court of Paris, the French Health Department’s official site, and the Court of Cassation’s webpage were among those affected. Visitors to these sites were met with warnings of unsecure connections, leaving many to speculate about the extent and origin of the attack.

Initial reports from Entropia Intel suggested that the attacks were likely a response to Durov’s arrest, which occurred on August 24 at Le Bourget airport near Paris. The timing and targets of the cyberattack seemed to confirm this theory, with Russian hacker or “hacktivist” groups being named as potential culprits.

At the time of writing, Crypto Briefing has been unable to independently verify these claims, although it has been reported by at least one other crypto publication.

Durov, who gained prominence as the founder of Russia’s largest social media platform VK, has a history of resisting government pressure on user data access. He established Telegram in 2013 as a platform committed to free speech and privacy, which has made it popular among crypto enthusiasts and privacy-conscious users worldwide.