- Pavel Durov, founder of Telegram and developer of The Open Network (TON), claims he was poisoned in spring 2018.
- Durov reported severe health effects, including collapse and two weeks of immobility, after an incident involving a “weird” neighbor.
- During this period, his TON crypto project raised $1.7 billion and Telegram refused to provide encryption keys to Russian authorities, leading to a ban.
- Investigators, including Christo Grozev, urged Durov to disclose more details to help identify those responsible.
- Durov’s travel history shows he avoided Russia only during the app’s ban, but resumed visits after the ban ended in 2020.
In spring 2018, Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram and developer behind The Open Network (TON), said he was the victim of a poisoning attempt. Durov discussed the event during a recent appearance on the Lex Fridman podcast, describing a sudden and severe health crisis after his neighbor left an item at his rented UK townhouse.
Durov stated he lost consciousness within an hour, experienced organ shutdown, and awoke covered in broken blood vessels. He was unable to walk for two weeks. The timing aligns with major events affecting both his crypto and messaging businesses.
In the spring of 2018, Durov’s TON project reportedly raised $1.7 billion from 170 investors, including Russian billionaires. That April, Telegram refused to release its encryption keys to Russia’s Federal Security Service, prompting a nationwide ban on the app later that month. Russia only lifted the ban two years later after Telegram aided in a terrorist investigation, though reports suggest the prohibition had little practical effect.
The poisoning claim has attracted attention from veteran Russian investigator Christo Grozev, who urged Durov to specify the date and location of the incident. “It’s not a sign of selflessness to hide this from your friends and colleagues. It’s a sign of courage — and responsibility — to allow us to look into what happened to you and who was behind it.” Grozev also noted the coincidence of Durov’s quick exit from the UK immediately after the suspects in the 2018 Salisbury poisonings departed for Moscow.
Investigations show Durov mainly stayed in Dubai throughout 2018, but also visited the UK, France, and Switzerland. According to a 2024 report, Durov visited Russia more than 50 times between 2014 and 2021. The only period he did not travel to Russia was during the Telegram ban. He began returning to Russia in 2020 after the ban lifted and Telegram was accused of shutting down opposition voting tools during Russia’s 2021 election. He has not visited Russia since October 2021.
✅ Follow BITNEWSBOT on Telegram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X.com, and Google News for instant updates.
Previous Articles:
- Senate Debates Crypto Tax Exemptions as Warren Warns of Risks
- Ukraine Hit by CABINETRAT Backdoor Cyberattacks via Excel XLL Files
- MSTR Surges 6% After Tax Relief on Bitcoin Gains from Trump Admin
- Injective Launches First On-Chain Pre-IPO Market With OpenAI
- SBI Crypto Allegedly Hides $21M Digital Asset Loss From Members
