Yulia Vavilova, a 24-year-old influencer and self-described crypto coach, has finally spoken out after being detained alongside Telegram founder Pavel Durov in Paris. She was arrested last month while flying with Durov on his private jet, but up until now, she hadn’t shared her side of the story. Her return to social media, however, has everyone talking.
Yulia, who is based in Dubai and streams about cryptocurrency, was traveling with Durov when they landed at Le Bourget Airport in France on August 24. French authorities detained her, but she was released three days later. Since then, the internet has been buzzing with rumors about what really happened and what role she might have played in the arrest of one of the most secretive tech billionaires in the world.
In a recent Instagram post, Yulia addressed her followers for the first time since the incident, thanking them for their support. “Dear friends, new friends, and family, I’m grateful to have you in my life,” she wrote. “I wasn’t able to return earlier, but I’m happy to let you know that everything is good. There’s a lot of false information circulating, but that’s a topic for the future…” Accompanied by scenic shots of Paris, including the Eiffel Tower and Notre-Dame, her post seemed lighthearted on the surface, but the underlying message has left many wondering what “false information” she was referring to.
Before the arrest, Yulia had frequently shared photos on social media from the same locations as Durov, including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Azerbaijan. This sparked speculation that the two might be more than just travel companions. Some even claimed that Yulia might be a spy, working to lure Durov to France where he could be arrested. One wild conspiracy theory even suggested that she was an agent for Israel’s Mossad, sent to trap the elusive tech mogul. Despite these rumors, neither Yulia nor Durov has commented on the nature of their relationship.
Meanwhile, Durov, known for his incredible privacy-focused app Telegram, has also faced his share of trouble. Arrested in France, he was hit with charges ranging from refusing to cooperate with authorities to allowing his platform to be used by organized crime for illegal activities like human trafficking and child exploitation. Though Durov is adamant that these accusations are baseless, French authorities have forbidden him from leaving the country, and he’s currently out on a massive €5 million bail.
In his first comments after the arrest, Durov expressed surprise at the charges, calling them outdated and inappropriate for the digital age. He didn’t mention Yulia, nor did he address one of the more bizarre rumors: that he was invited to have dinner with French President Emmanuel Macron the night of his arrest. Macron’s team has firmly denied this claim, adding yet another layer of intrigue to the story.
With nearly a billion users worldwide, Telegram has grown into one of the most widely used messaging apps, boasting high privacy standards and encrypted messages. This has made it a target for intelligence agencies across the globe. Durov, who holds multiple passports and has fathered over 100 children through sperm donations, continues to be an enigmatic figure, with the world waiting to see how his legal battle unfolds—and what Yulia Vavilova’s mysterious message really means.
