Cryptoinvestor Yulia Vavilova disappears after Telegram founder's arrest
Yulia Vavilova, a cryptoinvestor close to Pavel Durov, disappears after Telegram founder's arrest in France
Blogger and cryptoinvestor Yulia Vavilova, known in the world of cryptocurrencies and for her closeness to Telegram founder Pavel Durov, has disappeared after the latter's arrest in France. According to the Baza channel, Vavilova, 24, has not had contact with her mother since the early hours of Sunday, August 25, which has caused concern among her relatives.
Yulia's father reported that the last time he spoke to her was on August 2, when he congratulated her on her birthday. She also confirmed that her daughter had plans to travel to France, which coincides with Durov's arrest last Saturday at Le Bourget airport, north of Paris. Despite her mother's attempts to contact her on Sunday, Yulia did not answer calls.
Yulia Vavilova, who describes herself as a 'gamer', 'streamer' and crypto investor, currently resides in Dubai and, according to her social networks, is often found in the same places as Durov, which has led to speculation about a possible romantic relationship between the two. In her most recent posts, Vavilova mentioned having flown to Azerbaijan from Kazakhstan, accompanied by a private jet, which strengthens the ties between the two.
The young woman lived in Moscow until 2022, before moving to the United Arab Emirates, where she has continued her career in the world of cryptocurrencies. Her mother, an entrepreneur who previously owned a children's clothing store, has expressed concern about the lack of news from her daughter.
Meanwhile, Pavel Durov, arrested in France on charges of facilitating criminal activity via Telegram, remains in police custody. His detention has been extended from 24 to 96 hours by an investigating judge, who must decide before Wednesday whether to press formal charges, release him or call him as a witness in the investigation.
Durov, with a personal fortune estimated at billions of dollars, has been the subject of controversy over the lack of moderation on Telegram, which has allowed the platform to be used for the dissemination of criminal material.