Fifty-five men, including a priest, paramedic, and music teacher, were arrested across France in a major operation dismantling a paedophile ring using Telegram. The suspects, aged 25 to 75, faced charges related to possession and sharing of child pornography involving victims under 10.

The arrests follow a 10-month investigation by OFMIN, uncovering thousands of exchanges with dangerous offenders already imprisoned since last summer.

Telegram founder Pavel Durov, arrested in Paris in 2024, remains under investigation for failing to control illegal content on the platform. Despite some cooperation, authorities say Telegram barely meets legal obligations to combat abuse.