French Prosecutors Seek Swiss Details on Alleged Abuse Claims Against Telegram Founder Pavel Durov

French prosecutors have reached out to Switzerland for additional details regarding allegations that Telegram founder Pavel Durov engaged in “acts of violence” against one of his children. These claims have been made by Irina Bolgar, Durov’s former partner and mother of their children, who filed a legal complaint with a Geneva court in March 2023.

Bolgar has shared with CNN that her relationship with Durov lasted from early 2013 to 2022, during which time they had three children. She and the children now reside in Switzerland. Despite their marriage not being officially registered, the children are legally recognized and bear their father’s surname, as she highlighted on Instagram.

The complaint submitted to the Swiss court alleges that Durov inflicted violence on one of their children. CNN has contacted Durov’s legal team for a response to these allegations, but they have declined to comment at this time.

The case claims that Durov allegedly harmed his youngest son on five occasions between 2021 and 2022. One of the accusations includes a threat to kill the child. Durov, who is 39 years old, was recently detained at Paris’s Bourget Airport due to a warrant related to concerns about Telegram’s moderation practices, with the platform under scrutiny for being used by extremist and terrorist groups.

The controversy surrounding Durov has intensified, with the entrepreneur now facing a formal investigation for several offenses linked to criminal activities on his platform. He was released from custody on Wednesday and must remain in France under judicial supervision, with bail set at $5.56 million (5 million euros).

The Swiss complaint also notes that following the alleged incidents, the child experienced significant emotional distress, including anxiety, sleep disorders, bedwetting, and nightmares. Bolgar asserts that, after their separation in late 2018, Durov had promised in writing to provide financial support of 150,000 euros per month. However, he later blocked the bank cards he had given her, disrupting the promised support.