Telegram Founder Pavel Durov Reveals Life-Threatening 2018 Poisoning Attack: "I Thought It Was Over"

Oct 03, 2025 03:31 pm CST

Telegram founder Pavel Durov details a harrowing suspected poisoning attack in 2018 that left him paralyzed and near death. After encountering a mysterious item left by a "weird neighbor," Durov experienced systemic bodily shutdown, including vision and hearing loss, respiratory failure, and burst blood vessels throughout his body. The tech CEO kept the incident secret for years while developing Telegram's blockchain technology, with experts noting his symptoms match nerve agent exposure.