French authorities reportedly arrest Telegram’s CEO

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov is reportedly in custody after being arrested near Paris Saturday evening as he was departing his private jet. The billionaire was apparently apprehended on a warrant related to a preliminary investigation, writes Reuters.

Police in the country believe that the platform’s lack of moderation has “allowed criminal activity to go on undeterred on the messaging app.” Reuters cited French outlets TF1 TV and BFM TV in its reporting. Durov will go before a judge tonight and could be indicted as early as Sunday, according to TF1 (which we read using Google Translate).

Telegram has become a critical resource as people turn to it to find crucial information in places where heavy information censorship is common, such as Russia. But Durov’s preference for hands-off moderation has also helped make it a haven for misinformation, with the site only controlling its content when it’s forced to do so by other governments and organizations.