Telegram founder Pavel Durov was arrested at Paris Le Bourget Airport, according to French media reports.

The 39-year-old businessman was arrested on the evening of Saturday, August 24, after flying from Azerbaijan to Paris on a private jet, TV channel TF1 reported. Provided informationDurov was accompanied by his personal bodyguard and an unidentified woman.

Durov was reportedly included on France’s wanted fugitives list (Fichier des Personnes Recherchées, FPR). French forensic police issued an arrest warrant for him based on a preliminary investigation.

French authorities charged Durov with drug trafficking, crimes against children and fraud over Telegram’s lack of moderation. “He allowed countless illegal and criminal activities to take place on his platform while taking no steps to moderate or cooperate with law enforcement,” the report said.

According to one of TF1’s interlocutors, the arrest warrant for Durov is valid only in France. The entrepreneur knows that he is “persona non grata” in this country, has reduced his travels in Europe and avoids countries where Telegram work is under the control of security forces. “He made a mistake today. We don’t know why,” he said.

It added that the French government could use the arrest of Pavel Durov to put pressure on other European countries.