Pavel Durov, the billionaire CEO and founder of messaging app Telegram, is facing legal troubles in both France and Switzerland. In France, authorities are investigating an alleged act of violence committed by Durov against his youngest child in Paris in November 2021. This investigation is separate from the criminal complaint filed in Switzerland in March 2023 by Durov’s former partner Irina Bolgar, who claims that Durov was physically violent towards one of their three children.
The criminal complaint in Geneva alleges that Durov harmed his youngest son five times between 2021 and 2022, resulting in injuries including a concussion and sleep disorders. Bolgar claims that Durov stopped paying her 150,000 euros per month in child support, leading to the filing of the criminal complaint and a civil child custody case. Durov did not contest the child custody case, and a Geneva court official confirmed that the case is ongoing.
Bolgar and Durov never married, and their three children were born between 2013 and 2017. Durov gained French citizenship and moved to Dubai in 2017, where he currently resides in a luxury villa. The couple separated in 2018, and Bolgar and the children moved to Latvia before settling in Switzerland in 2020. Bolgar alleges that Durov stopped seeing their children in September 2022 and blocked access to child support payments.
The criminal case in Switzerland does not name Durov, Bolgar, or their children directly due to Swiss laws, but there are identifying details confirming Durov’s involvement. Despite the ongoing legal issues and the custody granted to Bolgar, Durov has not hired a lawyer or responded to the court filings. He also faces charges in France related to complicity in administering an online platform to enable illicit transactions, distribution of child pornography, selling narcotics, fraud, and money laundering.
Telegram, the messaging app founded by Durov, has stated that the company abides by EU laws and that Durov has nothing to hide. The company is awaiting a resolution to the legal situation and maintains that Durov travels frequently in Europe. Durov remains in police custody in France, where he was arrested at Le Bourget airport after arriving in a private jet from Baku, Azerbaijan.
The investigation in France is focused on the lack of content moderation on Telegram, which has nearly 1 billion users, particularly in the fight against pedocriminality. Durov’s arrest and subsequent legal troubles have shed light on his personal life, including the custody battle with Bolgar and the allegations of violence towards his youngest son. The case remains ongoing in both France and Switzerland as Durov awaits further legal proceedings.
