Telegram founder Pavel Durov recently disclosed in an interview with Tucker Carlson why he decided against setting up the company’s headquarters in San Francisco.
For Durov, San Francisco was not an option due to concerns over personal safety and excessive attention from U.S. authorities.
The 39-year-old entrepreneur recounted to Carlson an incident where he was assaulted in San Francisco following a meeting with Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey.
“I was in San Francisco when I got attacked after meeting, I think, Jack Dorsey in the Twitter office. I was walking back at 8:00 PM to my hotel when I got attacked,” he said.
Durov recalled that three men tried to snatch his phone. While he managed to resist and escape the attackers, he decided to look for other safer places to set up the headquarters of Telegram.
The company is currently based in Dubai, where strict laws forbid many forms of expression and assembly.
Durov also cited unwanted attention from U.S. authorities, particularly the FBI, as another reason for his decision. He shared an instance where an attempt was made ...