Telegram CEO Pavel Durov Denounces French Accusations in Tucker Carlson Interview

Pavel Durov, founder of Telegram, broke his silence nine months after a dramatic arrest at Paris's Le Bourget airport. In a June 9 interview with Tucker Carlson, the tech executive expressed bewilderment at the French government's actions, stating he remains "still looking for answers" about the August 2024 incident.

Durov faces six charges including money laundering complicity, which he vehemently denies. "We've done nothing wrong," he asserted, highlighting Telegram's compliance infrastructure. The messaging platform reportedly spends millions quarterly on legal operations across 200 jurisdictions, with audits conducted by a Big Four firm.

The confrontation reveals a stark disconnect between Telegram's corporate governance narrative and French prosecutors' allegations. Authorities allegedly bypassed standard legal protocols when initiating contact with the company, raising questions about procedural fairness in the high-profile case.