Who is Juli Vavilova, the mystery woman who was travelling with Telegram CEO Pavel Durov when he was arrested?
24-year-old Juli Vavilova, who is said to be a ¡°crypto coach¡± and a video game streamer, had been seen with Durov on his recent trips to Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Azerbaijan, despite the nature of their relationship being unknown.
Rumor mills are rife with conspiracy theories over the arrest of Telegram CEO Pavel Durov by French authorities over the weekend. According to unverified claims flooding social media, Juli Vavilova, a woman who was traveling with Durov when he was arrested at Le Bourget airport, may have had something to do with his detention.
The woman who accompanied Pavel Durov on his journey that led to his arrest is Juli Vavilova
¡ª Baptiste Robert (@fs0c131y) August 25, 2024
It's #OSINT time! https://t.co/4ejQfRT8lt pic.twitter.com/asJlUG0Ui5
Who is Juli Vavilova
The 24-year-old, said to be a ¡°crypto coach¡± and a video game streamer, had been seen with Durov on his recent trips to Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Azerbaijan, despite the nature of their relationship being unknown.
CREDIT: REUTERS
Was Juli Vavilova leaking Telegram CEO's location?
According to online conspiracy theories, Vavilova had been regularly posting photos of their travel, which she was allegedly doing with the intention of giving away the location of the Telegram CEO.
The girl Pavel Durov wanted to show around Paris.
¡ª Russian Market (@runews) August 25, 2024
She was literally posting every step of Durov online with photos and geolocations. https://t.co/b3Mw5y0DF1 pic.twitter.com/U0pNOEfaX9
It is alleged that Vavilova was a spy who was tasked with monitoring and covertly reporting Durov's location and movements to the authorities. Vavilova, who is said to be a resident of Dubai, is reportedly missing after Durov's arrest, adding more fuel to the conspiracy theories.
Daughter of Russian agents?
While Vavilova's background is yet unclear, the name rings a bell with intelligence circles. That is because Elena Vavilova and her husband Andrei Bezrukov were Russian spies who lived in Canada and were busted in 2010.
They lived under the names Tracy Lee Ann Foley and Donald Howard Heathfield and had two children. Though many on social media have linked Juli to the KGB spies, the couple does not have any daughters, but two sons.
Is Juli Vavilova a Spy? Her Parents Definitely Were!
¡ª Gigi B @ Gianluigi Ballarani (@GBallarani) August 26, 2024
Juli Vavilova, the enigmatic figure recently thrust into the spotlight due to her connection with Telegram founder Pavel Durov, is at the center of swirling speculation. Described as a young influencer, gamer, and crypto coach¡ pic.twitter.com/piTCF7Sgva
Russians see American hand
Though Durov was arrested in France, some in his home country, Russia, see the U.S. hand in the whole operation. Vyacheslav Volodin, the speaker of Russia's Duma, the lower house of parliament, is among those claiming that Durov was arrested at the behest of Washington.
CREDIT: REUTERS
"Telegram is one of the few and at the same time the largest Internet platforms over which the United States has no influence. On the eve of the U.S. presidential election, it is important for (President Joe) Biden to take Telegram under control," Volodin said in a Telegram post.
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Bobins Abraham is the Assistant News Editor at Indiatimes. He has more than twelve years of experience in TV and digital journalism. An avid student of history and geopolitics, he is a conservationist and environmentalist at heart. He writes on environment, sustainability, human-animal conflict and more.
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