NEW YORK, February 6. /TASS/. The case of Telegram founder Pavel Durov detained in France will reach the court no sooner than in a year, the Wired website reported, citing Mailice de Reck, a spokeswoman for the prosecutor's office.
According to her, it may take a year or more before the trial takes place. Speaking to the portal, de Reck also noted that it is too early to discuss any details of Durov's potential settlement agreement with the French government. In this regard, Wired concedes that the businessman is probably stuck in France for a long time, leaving Telegram in limbo, not knowing whether to start looking for Durov's successor as the new CEO.
On December 6, 2024, AFP reported that Durov arrived at the Paris court for the first time for questioning on the case of his potential involvement in criminal activities carried out through the online messenger. It noted that the entrepreneur declined to comment to the media on the proceedings and the charges against him, saying only that he "believes in France's justice."
Durov was detained at the Le Bourget airport on August 24. French investigators indicted Durov on six counts, including involvement in a criminal group that administrated an online platform with the intent to enable illegal transactions. According to the Paris Prosecutor’s Office, the offense carries a prison term of up to 10 years and a fine of 500,000 euros.
A judge ruled to put Durov under court supervision, ordering a bail of 5 million euros. The ruling also required Durov to visit a police station twice a week and barred him from leaving France.