Is Telegram Chinese owned?

I've been hearing rumors that Telegram is owned by Chinese entities. Could you clarify this for me? It's quite a significant concern for many in the cryptocurrency and finance community, given the potential implications it might have on data privacy and security. Is there any truth to these claims? If so, what are the details surrounding the ownership structure? And how does this affect Telegram's operations and policies, especially in terms of protecting user information and safeguarding against cyberthreats?