Telegram CEO receives € 5 million in bail, restricted from leaving the country and subject to formal
According to a report by The New York Times, Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau stated that the judge deemed it reasonable to formally initiate an investigation and preliminarily charged Telegram CEO Pavel Durov with conspiring to manage an online platform for illegal transactions; Conspiracy to commit crimes, such as spreading content about child sexual abuse, drug trafficking, and fraud, and refusing to cooperate with law enforcement agencies.
Although a formal investigation does not necessarily mean guilt or imminent formal prosecution, it indicates that the prosecutor believes there is sufficient evidence to further investigate. According to reports, the maximum sentence for related crimes is 10 years in prison.
The French authorities have stated that Pavel Durov has been granted bail of 5 million euros, but is restricted from leaving France.