Nationwide raid in France nets 55 arrests in Telegram pedophilia case

French authorities have arrested 55 men across the country between May 19 and 22 in connection with a major child exploitation network operating via the messaging platform Telegram, according to the Office for the Protection of Minors (OFMIN).

The suspects, aged between 25 and 75, are accused of exchanging child sexual abuse material (CSAM) with an “extremely dangerous” pedophile who was imprisoned in the summer of 2024. That individual had abused his own children, who were subsequently rescued, OFMIN operational unit head Quentin Bevan told CNN on May 22, Caliber.Az reports. 

“These 55 individuals all exchanged CSAM imagery [Child Sexual Abuse Material] with the dangerous pedophile, so we had digital evidence implicating all of them,” said Bevan.

The arrests mark the culmination of a ten-month investigation, described by Bevan as a “major investigation and infiltration operation on this Telegram group.”

“We had to follow the exchanges, analyze them, and identify the individuals hiding behind these Telegram pseudonyms — especially those who had children, had criminal records, or worked in sensitive professions involving contact with children,” he added.

The suspects come from a wide range of backgrounds, including fathers, civil servants, members of the military, and paramedics. Under French law, possession and distribution of CSAM can carry a penalty of up to five years in prison and a €100,000 fine.

In a statement to CNN, Telegram spokesperson Remi Vaughn said the company has taken “extensive measures to combat child abuse,” noting that more than 367,000 groups and channels linked to CSAM have been removed in 2025 so far as part of ongoing efforts.

This operation follows a prior high-profile incident involving Telegram in France. In August 2024, Telegram founder Pavel Durov was detained at Paris’s Bourget Airport under a warrant connected to the platform’s content moderation practices.

Durov was indicted by French authorities on August 28, 2024, on multiple charges, including money laundering and the dissemination of child sexual abuse material. In a subsequent statement, Durov asserted his commitment to improving moderation on Telegram and criticised officials for attempting to hold him “personally responsible for other people’s illegal use of Telegram.”

By Sabina Mammadli