France Barred Telegram Founder Pavel Durov From Traveling To US

French authorities have denied Telegram founder Pavel Durov's request to travel to the U.S. for "negotiations with investment funds." From a report: The Paris prosecutor's office told POLITICO that it rendered its decision on May 12 "on the grounds that such a trip abroad did not appear imperative or justified."

Durov was arrested in August 2024 at a French airport and has been under strict legal control since last September, when he was indicted on six charges related to illicit activity on the messaging app he operates. He is forbidden to leave France without authorization -- which he obtained to travel to Dubai from March 15 to April 7, the prosecutor's office said. Russian-born Durov is a citizen, among other countries, of France and the United Arab Emirates.

They may have done the man a service

[Rosco P. Coltrane]

I don't think Pavel Durov would be safe in the US right now.

Arrested

[JBMcB]

Well he's being prosecuted in France, so he's not safe there, either.

Re:

[Vlad_the_Inhaler]

They did permit him to

travel to Dubai from March 15 to April 7

so I'm wondering if the US was denying him entry, or maybe the French thought the US was going to keep him.

Re:

[GameboyRMH]

France probably thought he might flee from justice to the US under the current administration which has shown a lot of sympathy to cryptocurrency-adjacent criminals.

Re:

[alvinrod]

Anyone who would champion and fight for the liberty of the individual will never be safe anywhere. All governments are tyrannical by nature and will not tolerate opposition to their will. The freedoms we have now are far from the norm across the world and are an oddity by historical standards. Some day the world may look back on us the way we have looked back at the Athenian Greeks.

Bribe schedule

[fafalone]

Whatever the amount listed on the current bribe schedule for 'protection from extradition' by far the most profoundly and openly corrupt administration in US history where the president publicly accepts and brags about bribes, I'm sure Durov can pay it. That and a little peeling back of the diaper to polish the mushroom, he's free to stay here. France is almost certainly worried they won't get him back.

Maybe he should just call them on Signal

[Big Hairy Gorilla]

<womp womp, glances around for exit>

Re: His charges seem bogus...

[madbrain]

That's not what he is being charged with.

He might just talk to Trump

[thesjaakspoiler]

and figure out he needs another Master.