Telegram founder Pavel Durov, who was under judicial supervision in France, has left the country for Dubai. The 40-year-old entrepreneur's departure was made possible by a French court ruling that allowed him to leave, AFP reported, citing sources close to the case. Durov, who was released on bail of 5 million euros, had previously been banned from leaving France due to a criminal investigation launched against him in August 2024. At that time, he was detained at Le Bourget airport near Paris on suspicion of involvement in organised crime related to Telegram. The charges included facilitating the dissemination of illegal content, such as child sexual abuse and drug trafficking, and refusing to cooperate with authorities.

According to AFP, Durov left France on March 15, 2025, after a court reviewed the conditions of his supervised detention. The businessman was required to report regularly to the police, but now he has been able to return to the United Arab Emirates, where Telegram is based and where he has lived in recent years. French authorities have not yet commented on whether Durov's departure will affect the course of the investigation, which, according to the Paris prosecutor's office, is ongoing.

In February 2025, Wired reported that Durov's trial could drag on for at least a year, fueling speculation about possible negotiations between him and French authorities. Following his arrest in August 2024, Durov was released on bail but remained under strict supervision, including a travel ban. His first court appearance in Paris in December 2024 resulted in no significant change in his status.