The allegations could potentially lead to a life sentence for Pavel Durov, further intensifying a legal case that has already resulted in Telegram receiving over 100 million rubles in fines this year.
Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) announced Wednesday that it had charged Telegram founder Pavel Durov with allegedly facilitating terrorist activities and placed him on an international wanted list.
The FSB claims Telegram failed to remove channels, conversations, and automated bots that were allegedly used by Ukrainian intelligence-linked groups and extremist organizations to coordinate sabotage, attacks, and cyber fraud campaigns targeting Russia, according to Interfax.
The charges against Durov reportedly carry a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. The FSB did not disclose whether it had requested an Interpol Red Notice, which would not independently serve as a global arrest warrant.
The latest development expands an investigation that began in February after Russian authorities introduced restrictions on Telegram. The platform has since been fined more than 100 million rubles ($1.25 million) this year, largely over allegations that it did not remove content prohibited under Russian law, Interfax reported.
Telegram continues to serve as one of the crypto sector’s largest communication and distribution networks, hosting blockchain communities, trading groups, automated services, and decentralized application-based Mini Apps.
The platform is also deeply connected with The Open Network (TON), whose native cryptocurrency changed its name from Toncoin to Gram in June. TON supports payments, tokenized assets, and Mini Apps within Telegram, giving the network access to the messaging platform’s audience of more than 1 billion users, according to TON.
Gram was trading at around $1.42, down approximately 2.4% over the previous 24 hours. Earlier this month, Durov announced that Telegram would introduce a built-in, non-custodial Gram wallet for all users through the Telegram application.
