Billionaire Pavel Durov, founder and CEO of Telegram, was detained on Saturday evening at Le Bourget Airport near Paris, according to reports from TF1 and BFM TV. The Russian-born tech mogul was reportedly arrested upon his arrival aboard a private jet, after traveling from Azerbaijan. Sources indicate that Durov was the subject of an arrest warrant issued in France as part of an ongoing preliminary investigation.

Telegram, the popular messaging platform he created, did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and French authorities, including the Interior Ministry and police, have not yet offered any statements on the matter.

Durov, currently based in Dubai, left Russia in 2014 after refusing to shut down opposition groups on VK, a social media platform he co-founded and later sold. Forbes estimates his net worth at $15.5 billion. With 900 million active users, Telegram has become one of the world’s most popular messaging apps. Durov has consistently emphasized that the platform should maintain neutrality and avoid becoming entangled in geopolitical conflicts, despite pressure from various governments.