- By Alex David
- Sun, 26 Oct 2025 08:27 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov has made headlines again, this time for offering to buy and return the jewels stolen from the Louvre Museum in Paris — but with a sharp twist. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Durov said he would be “happy to buy the stolen jewellery and donate it back to the Louvre,” before clarifying, “I mean Louvre Abu Dhabi, of course; no one steals from Louvre Abu Dhabi.”
The Paris Heist
Last week's audacious daylight robbery at the Louvre Museum in Paris by six thieves using vehicle-mounted mechanical lifts was an audacious daylight robbery; several jewels were stolen before escaping by two thieves who cut through windows, threatened security guards, smashed display cases and cut through one window before making off with them all before leaving town.
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Durov’s Reaction
Reacting to the incident, Durov posted:
“Not at all surprised by the Louvre heist. It’s another sad sign of the decline of a once great country—where the government has perfected the art of distracting people with phantom threats instead of confronting the real ones.”
His comments quickly generated controversy online, with critics accusing him of politicising crime while supporters saw it as an insightful commentary on France's governance and public security systems.
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Context Behind the Jab
Durov's remarks come less than one year after his arrest in France on August 20, 2024 at Le Bourget Airport for suspected crimes facilitated through Telegram, including child exploitation, drug trafficking and money laundering – charges which he has vigorously denied.
His relationship with French authorities remains tenuous, and this latest post seems intended to both insult and provoke.
The Bigger Picture
While Durov’s offer to buy and return the stolen jewels is unlikely to be taken seriously, it underscores the tension between tech leaders and governments over regulation, free speech, and accountability — especially in Europe. For Durov, the Louvre heist has become another opportunity to make a statement — one part satire, one part defiance.