The billionaire made the remarks after journalist Tucker Carlson said it was “hard to believe” Paris didn’t consult Washington
Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, has expressed concern over the potential involvement of the US government in the recent arrest of Pavel Durov, founder and CEO of Telegram, in France. The American billionaire had previously urged the French government to clarify their legal issues with the Russian tech entrepreneur.
Durov, a citizen of France, the UAE, and St. Kitts and Nevis, was apprehended last week upon arrival at Paris-Le Bourget Airport. A French court formally indicted him on Wednesday, accusing him of involvement in various offenses.
The Telegram founder was released on a €5 million ($5.55 million) bond and ordered to stay in France until the investigation concludes.
In a post on X on Friday, Musk stated that it was a “concerning possibility” that Washington may have influenced Durov’s arrest, referring to Tucker Carlson’s recent interview with internet freedom activist Mike Benz.
to the executive director of the Foundation For Freedom Online earlier this week, Carlson claimed that it was “very hard for a bystander without direct knowledge, being me, to believe that [French President Emmanuel] Macron could or would have done that without the encouragement or at least agreement of the Biden administration.”
Responding to a post on X by Macron, who denied any political motivation behind the recent events concerning Durov, Musk wrote: “It would be helpful to the global public to understand more details about why he was arrested.”
According to the French court, the Telegram CEO was charged with a dozen offenses, including complicity in “administering an online platform” used by a criminal gang to conduct an illicit transaction – a charge that carries a maximum penalty of ten years behind bars. The other charges include facilitating fraud, money laundering, and the distribution of narcotics and child pornography, as well as refusal to turn over user data to law enforcement investigations.
In an interview with Tucker Carlson in April, the entrepreneur claimed that he had received “too much attention” from the FBI and other law enforcement agencies while on US soil.
Following Durov’s arrest, Carlson, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, former CIA and NSA contractor Edward Snowden, and Silicon Valley investor David Sacks all expressed their support for the Telegram founder.