On October 21, Mr. Pavel Durov - co-founder of the Telegram messaging app - said that he was ready to buy back the royal jewelry stolen from the Louvre Museum in Paris.
The theft took place in broad daylight, when four attackers broke into France's most famous museum and took away eight precious artifacts including necklaces, earrings and crowns once owned by the 19th century nobility.
On the X platform, Mr. Durov wrote that he favorite to spend money to buy back the jewelry to donate to Louvre Abu Dhabi, a partner museum between France and the United Arab Emirates, which opened on Saadiyat Island in 2017. He humorously added: No one can steal anything from the Louvre Abu Dhabi.
Previously, Mr. Durov criticized the French government for pressuring Telegram to censor political content. He was detained at Paris airport on charges of failing to remove illegal content from his platform before being released on bail.
The announcement of buying back stolen treasures has attracted public attention not only because of the value of the jewelry, but also because of Mr. Durov's straightforward attitude towards the French government.
Although the Louvre has not responded, his statement continues to highlight the image of a technology businessman with a strong voice and much debate in the international community.
In June 2025, Mr. Durov surprised everyone when he announced the number of his children. He said he is the legal father of three women and revealed that he started donating sperm 15 years ago. As of now, the number of children born from his sperm has exceeded 100.
