Pavel Durov, the man behind Telegram, finds himself entangled in serious legal trouble. Already facing charges in France for facilitating criminal activities through his app, we’ve just learnt that Pavel has also been under investigation in Switzerland.
This time, it’s not about his business but allegations of violence against his own child.
According to Forbes, Pavel’s former partner, Irina Bolgar, has accused him of physically harming their youngest son on multiple occasions between 2021 and 2022.
The criminal complaint was filed in March 2023 in Geneva, where Irina alleges that the violence allegedly resulted in injuries, including a concussion. Since these incidents, Irina claims their son, who is turning seven soon, has suffered from ongoing sleep disorders.
The woman also filed a civil lawsuit for custody of their children, citing these violent incidents and Pavel’s failure to provide financial support as reasons for her legal actions.
Irina’s grievances with Pavel extend beyond physical violence. She claims that Pavel stopped paying her the €150,000 monthly child support she had been receiving.
This financial dispute led her to file the lawsuits several months later. Meanwhile, in July, Pavel proudly revealed to the world that he has fathered over 100 biological children through sperm donation.
Among the key pieces of evidence to back Irina’s claims are transcripts of messages exchanged between her and Pavel in November 2021. These messages reportedly shed light on the nature of their relationship and the incidents in question.
Additionally, medical records from April 2023 confirm that their child has been suffering from anxiety and sleep disorders, which Irina attributes to the alleged violence.
While Pavel’s representatives have remained tight-lipped, a lawyer for Irina confirmed that both the civil and criminal cases are active.
Just two days ago, French prosecutors indicted the billionaire on six charges related to criminal activities on Telegram. The charges include facilitating illegal transactions and refusing to cooperate with law enforcement.
Following his arrest, Pavel was released on a €5 million bail but was placed under strict judicial supervision. He is required to report to the police twice a week and is barred from leaving France.
Pavel’s situation has sparked diplomatic tensions, particularly because of his connections to Russia and the UAE. Yesterday, President Emmanuel Macron took full responsibility for granting Pavel French citizenship in 2018.
This came just days after a presidential spokesperson told us that the decision was actually made by the foreign ministry. Macron compared Pavel to other entrepreneurs and artists who have been granted French citizenship under similar circumstances. His exact words were:
“I gave Mr. Pavel French citizenship, who learned French, as I gave to Mr. [Evan] Spiegel, an American entrepreneur, as I gave citizenship to some athletes and artists, and I think this is something that is very good for our country and I will continue to do so.”
But Macron denied reports that he was planning to meet with Pavel. He insisted that he had no prior knowledge of Pavel’s travel plans before his arrest. Macron also dismissed suggestions that he had any involvement in the ongoing legal proceedings.
