Pavel Durov, the CEO of Telegram and a Russian-born billionaire with dual French-Russian citizenship, was detained on August 24 upon his arrival at Le Bourget airport near Paris. Durov, who had just flown in from Azerbaijan, faces arrest due to allegations of failing to control criminal activities on his platform, as reported by France’s OFMIN, an agency focused on preventing violence against minors.
Accompanying Durov during his arrest was Juli Vavilova, a 24-year-old crypto coach and social media personality based in Dubai. Vavilova, who describes herself as a gamer with interests in crypto and mindset, is suspected to be Durov’s girlfriend. The connection between Vavilova and the arrest has fueled a wave of speculation online.
One theory gaining traction is that Vavilova could be a Mossad agent involved in a sophisticated honey trap operation. Proponents of this theory suggest that Vavilova’s frequent social media posts, which show her in locations previously visited by Durov—such as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Azerbaijan—might have been strategically used to track and capture him.
Mossad, Israel’s national intelligence agency, has a reputation for executing intricate operations against high-profile targets. If Vavilova is indeed an agent, it’s conceivable that her presence was used to gather intelligence on Durov, potentially linked to broader geopolitical or security objectives. The arrest might relate to concerns over Telegram’s encryption technology, which could pose a threat to national security if used by adversaries.
The Kremlin has yet to receive detailed information from France about Durov’s arrest, with spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stating that they are awaiting further clarity before commenting. As the situation unfolds, the alleged involvement of Mossad remains speculative but intriguing, highlighting the complex interplay of global intelligence and international relations.