Telegram Founder: Surge in Crypto Kidnappings in France May Be Due to Tax Data Leaks

On April 25, Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, stated that there have been 41 kidnappings targeting crypto asset holders in France in the first three and a half months of 2026, questioning whether these incidents are related to data leaks. He pointed out that some tax data and information about crypto users may have been leaked, potentially exploited by criminals, leading to an increase in criminal activities against high-net-worth crypto users, and warned that “the more data there is, the more victims there will be.” Additionally, Durov criticized the French government’s plans to strengthen regulations on social media user identities and private communications, stating that such measures would further exacerbate privacy risks. He emphasized that Telegram will not grant access to users’ private information to relevant authorities and even mentioned the possibility of “withdrawing from the French market.”