Published26 August 2024, 14:16
Pavel Durov: Multi-billionaire with over 100 children: This is “Russia’s Zuckerberg”
Pavel Durov was arrested in Paris on Saturday. The 39-year-old Telegram founder has repeatedly come into conflict with the law.
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Pavel Durov, founder of VKontakte and Telegram, was arrested in Paris.
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He is accused of criminal activities including fraud, drug trafficking and promoting terrorism.
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Telegram, its platform, is used by activists around the world but has come under criticism for extremist content.
Who is Pavel Durov?
Pavel Durov is a Russian-born technology entrepreneur who has also had French citizenship since 2021. He also holds a passport from the Caribbean island state of Saint Kitts and Nevis. However, his most recent home was Dubai. Durov has made a name for himself by founding social networks and a cryptocurrency.
The 39-year-old is often referred to as the “Russian Mark Zuckerberg.” Durov was arrested in Paris on Saturday evening. He is known as the founder of VKontakte (VK) and Telegram. He has repeatedly come into conflict with authorities in Russia and around the world. The French arrest warrant against Durov was no secret. Why he traveled to France anyway remains a mystery.
How did he become rich?
Durov was born in St. Petersburg and rose to fame in the 2000s when he created the social network VKontakte (VK). VK was specifically targeted at Russian-speaking users and outperformed Facebook in many parts of the former Soviet Union.
After clashes with the Russian authorities and disputes over ownership, he sold his shares in VK and founded the messaging service Telegram in 2013. This service quickly gained popularity, but came under criticism for its lack of control over extremist content. Forbes magazine estimates Durov’s fortune at $15.5 billion. After the announcement of his arrest, the value of Toncoin, the cryptocurrency he created, fell by more than 15 percent.
Why was he arrested?
An arrest warrant has been issued against Durow in France in connection with allegations that Telegram was used for various criminal activities, including fraud, drug trafficking, cyberbullying and organized crime. The 39-year-old is also accused of promoting terrorism.
The investigation is being led by the French Gendarmerie’s cyber unit and the national anti-fraud office. As of Sunday, Durow was still in police custody without being charged.
Conflicts with Russia
Durov came into conflict with the Kremlin, particularly because he refused to pass on personal user data to the Russian secret service FSB. In 2014, he left Russia and sold his shares in VKontakte.
His departure was accompanied by a symbolic gesture: he posted a picture of dolphins with the slogan “So Long and Thanks for All the Fish,” a quote from the science fiction series “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.” He then continued to develop Telegram with his brother Nikolai as they traveled from country to country.
Telegram’s rise and controversies
Telegram has established itself as a platform for free expression and is used by pro-democracy activists around the world, including in Hong Kong, Iran, Belarus and Russia.
However, the app also came under the scrutiny of authorities, particularly in Russia, where a court ordered Telegram to be blocked in 2018. However, the attempt to block the service failed miserably. Since then, both the Russian government and the opposition have been using Telegram.
This is what he is like in private
Durow, who describes himself as a libertarian, avoids the public. However, he recently appeared in an interview with the equally controversial US journalist Tucker Carlson. He emphasized the independence and privacy that Telegram offers its users. On his own Telegram channel, he describes himself as a reclusive person.
He abstains from meat, alcohol and coffee. He also always wears black clothes. In July, he claimed to be the biological father of more than 100 children. He described this as a “civic duty”. This brought him closer to the pro-natalism movement, which also includes Tesla boss Elon Musk and other tech billionaires.
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