French Police Arrest Telegram CEO Pavel Durov
In a dramatic turn of events, French police detained Pavel Durov, the CEO of the widely-used messaging app Telegram, last Saturday. However, it wasn’t just Durov’s arrest that grabbed headlines; the involvement of a woman named Juli Vavilova has added an intriguing layer to the unfolding story.
Juli Vavilova, a 24-year-old crypto coach and social media personality based in Dubai, was also detained during the arrest. Her mysterious presence has led many to speculate whether her social media activities and videos played a part in Durov’s apprehension.
Durov, the Russian-born founder of Telegram, is being questioned by French authorities for a second day over alleged offenses related to his messaging platform. Despite the allegations, Telegram has maintained that Durov has “nothing to hide.” He is accused of failing to prevent various criminal activities on his platform.
A dinner in Paris turns into an arrest
According to a source close to the case, Durov had arrived in Paris from Baku, Azerbaijan, with plans to dine in the French capital. Accompanied by a bodyguard and a personal assistant, Durov was unexpectedly detained at Le Bourget airport outside Paris.
Who is Juli Vavilova?
Juli Vavilova, 24, is a crypto coach and streamer based in Dubai. With over 20,000 Instagram followers, she identifies as a gamer and highlights her interests in gaming, crypto, languages, and mindset. Fluent in English, Russian, Spanish, and Arabic, Ms. Vavilova has been seen with the Telegram CEO in various locations, including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Azerbaijan, as documented in her Instagram stories and highlights.
Internet sleuths have pointed out that Vavilova, often spotted with Durov, could have inadvertently led authorities to him. The duo had traveled to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Azerbaijan before arriving in France. Vavilova’s Instagram photos, documenting their trips, have been scrutinized, with many speculating that these posts may have tipped off law enforcement.
A source close to the case expressed surprise at Durov’s decision to fly to France despite having a warrant against him. “Perhaps he had a feeling of impunity,” the source told AFP.
Baptiste Robert, CEO of Predicta Lab, a website dedicated to combating online misinformation, reposted a video shared by Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) account Amir Intel. In the video, Vavilova thanks her friends for helping her bypass Russian sanctions by accepting payments in cryptocurrency. The video has raised questions about her relationship with Durov.
Though it’s unclear if Vavilova and Durov were dating, they had posted photos from the same locations before his arrest. Durov’s Instagram featured him driving a racing car and practicing shooting, followed by Vavilova posting similar activities from the same locations.
In a livestream, Vavilova said to her followers, “When Russia went under sanctions, my smart friends, I’m really glad that I have my smart friends around me who educate me about crypto, who gives me opportunities, and other stuff. He just told me, the same day, send all the crypto, to trust the wallet.”
As the story unfolds, the involvement of Juli Vavilova continues to captivate the public’s attention, adding a layer of mystery to the already sensational arrest of Pavel Durov.