Irina Bolgar is a lawyer originally from St. Petersburg, who was once in a romantic relationship with Pavel Durov , the creator of the popular messaging app, Telegram . During their nearly decade-long relationship, they led a life marked by luxury, frequently staying in lavish resorts, private planes, and upscale apartments. However, their relationship deteriorated, and the former couple is now embroiled in a legal battle that has captured public attention.
Bolgar has accused Durov of being controlling, abusive, and neglectful of their three children. The accusations, which are detailed in a Swiss criminal complaint, include disturbing claims that Durov physically abused their youngest child on multiple occasions between 2021 and 2022. These alleged incidents involve Durov striking and shaking the child violently. Bolgar has also claimed that Durov has not been providing adequate financial support for their children, despite his substantial wealth.
Durov has denied all accusations. His representatives argue that the incidents of abuse never occurred and describe Bolgar's claims as baseless. They further allege that Bolgar had a lavish spending habit, using millions of dollars for luxury goods, while Durov provided what he deemed to be ample child support of $10,000 per month per child. Durov’s spokesperson also contends that the couple was never romantically involved but entered into an arrangement to have children.
The legal dispute has not only highlighted their personal issues but has also placed Durov under increased scrutiny. His tech empire, Telegram, faces challenges in Europe, particularly in France, where he is dealing with criminal charges related to illegal content shared on his platform. Despite his public image as a libertarian advocate for privacy and freedom, Bolgar's accusations paint a very different picture of his personal conduct, suggesting a sharp contrast between his public persona and private actions.
While Swiss authorities are still investigating the claims, the case has opened a window into Durov’s private life, shedding light on a world of wealth, control, and complex personal dynamics.
What are the charges against Pavel Durov?
In August 2024, Pavel Durov was briefly arrested in France due to concerns over how the Telegram app was being used by criminals without adequate intervention from the platform. Initially standing firm on his commitment to free speech and minimal restrictions, Durov later adjusted his stance.
By September 23, Durov announced a change in Telegram’s approach, stating that the platform would now provide phone numbers and IP addresses to authorities for users found violating the app’s Terms of Service. He explained this decision on his Telegram channel, highlighting that Telegram’s Search function, while powerful in connecting users with public channels and bots, had been misused for illegal activities.
To prevent further abuse of this feature, Durov revealed updates to Telegram’s Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, making it explicit that user data—such as IP addresses and phone numbers—would be shared with relevant authorities upon valid legal requests. He justified these updates as necessary to protect the platform's integrity and ensure its continued operation for its nearly one billion users.
However, Durov later clarified that these changes were not as significant as they may have appeared. He explained that Telegram had already been able to share user information with authorities since 2018 in cases involving dangerous criminals, and this practice had been consistently reflected in its Privacy Policy. Durov also pointed to the @transparency bot, which tracks how many legal requests for user data Telegram processes. For example, in Brazil, the platform handled dozens of requests each quarter in 2024, while in India—the app's largest market—thousands of requests were processed. An increase in European requests was also noted as more authorities followed procedures outlined by the EU Digital Services Act (DSA).
To avoid further confusion, Telegram has recently unified its privacy policies globally, ensuring consistency across countries, but Durov emphasised that the platform’s core principles—balancing local laws with a commitment to privacy and freedom—remain unchanged.
Bolgar has accused Durov of being controlling, abusive, and neglectful of their three children. The accusations, which are detailed in a Swiss criminal complaint, include disturbing claims that Durov physically abused their youngest child on multiple occasions between 2021 and 2022. These alleged incidents involve Durov striking and shaking the child violently. Bolgar has also claimed that Durov has not been providing adequate financial support for their children, despite his substantial wealth.
Durov has denied all accusations. His representatives argue that the incidents of abuse never occurred and describe Bolgar's claims as baseless. They further allege that Bolgar had a lavish spending habit, using millions of dollars for luxury goods, while Durov provided what he deemed to be ample child support of $10,000 per month per child. Durov’s spokesperson also contends that the couple was never romantically involved but entered into an arrangement to have children.
The legal dispute has not only highlighted their personal issues but has also placed Durov under increased scrutiny. His tech empire, Telegram, faces challenges in Europe, particularly in France, where he is dealing with criminal charges related to illegal content shared on his platform. Despite his public image as a libertarian advocate for privacy and freedom, Bolgar's accusations paint a very different picture of his personal conduct, suggesting a sharp contrast between his public persona and private actions.
While Swiss authorities are still investigating the claims, the case has opened a window into Durov’s private life, shedding light on a world of wealth, control, and complex personal dynamics.
What are the charges against Pavel Durov?
In August 2024, Pavel Durov was briefly arrested in France due to concerns over how the Telegram app was being used by criminals without adequate intervention from the platform. Initially standing firm on his commitment to free speech and minimal restrictions, Durov later adjusted his stance.
By September 23, Durov announced a change in Telegram’s approach, stating that the platform would now provide phone numbers and IP addresses to authorities for users found violating the app’s Terms of Service. He explained this decision on his Telegram channel, highlighting that Telegram’s Search function, while powerful in connecting users with public channels and bots, had been misused for illegal activities.
To prevent further abuse of this feature, Durov revealed updates to Telegram’s Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, making it explicit that user data—such as IP addresses and phone numbers—would be shared with relevant authorities upon valid legal requests. He justified these updates as necessary to protect the platform's integrity and ensure its continued operation for its nearly one billion users.
However, Durov later clarified that these changes were not as significant as they may have appeared. He explained that Telegram had already been able to share user information with authorities since 2018 in cases involving dangerous criminals, and this practice had been consistently reflected in its Privacy Policy. Durov also pointed to the @transparency bot, which tracks how many legal requests for user data Telegram processes. For example, in Brazil, the platform handled dozens of requests each quarter in 2024, while in India—the app's largest market—thousands of requests were processed. An increase in European requests was also noted as more authorities followed procedures outlined by the EU Digital Services Act (DSA).
To avoid further confusion, Telegram has recently unified its privacy policies globally, ensuring consistency across countries, but Durov emphasised that the platform’s core principles—balancing local laws with a commitment to privacy and freedom—remain unchanged.
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