The publicity circus accompanying the arrest explains why the court decided to share a press release listing the charges against Durov. According to this document, the Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office opened a preliminary investigation against Durov on July 8 related to efforts to combat cybercrime.
The Centre for the Fight against Cybercrime (C3N) and the Anti-Fraud National Office (ONAF) have been involved in the investigation. In all, 12 charges have been filed against “a person unnamed” — a classic French judicial term to imply whoever is in charge of Telegram right now.
The charges can be broken down into four categories:
- Firstly, Telegram’s founder has been charged with being complicit in storing and distributing CSAM content, facilitating drug trafficking and facilitating organized fraud and other illegal transactions.
- Second, the court claims that Telegram refuses to cooperate with law enforcement when they file a formal request for information or documents.
- Third, Durov faces several charges related to Telegram’s cryptographic features as they haven’t been formally declared or certified by French authorities. These seem to be minor offenses according to professor of law Florence G’sell.
- Fourth, Durov is accused of taking part in a “criminal association with a view to committing a crime or an offense punishable by 5 or more years of imprisonment”, as well as money laundering.
The charges are both broad and technical at the same time. It’s also hard to know exactly their basis without access to the full investigation.
While France is holding Durov, the people left at Telegram will probably cave to threats that they will be similarly charged if they don’t allow police access to Telegram’s systems and, possibly, testify against Durov. ABN
American Buddhist Net 