The Russian crypto influencer who accompanied Telegram boss Pavel Durov on a variety of luxurious journeys forward of his arrest in Paris might have given his location away, it has been alleged.
Yulia Vavilova, who additionally goes by Juli and is considered aged 24, is a self-styled ‘crypto coach’ and online game streamer.
Like Durov, she is Russian-born and considered based mostly in Dubai, having fun with a jetset life-style and sharing photos of her travels.
Most not too long ago, her Instagram has been awash with photos of visits to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and most not too long ago Azerbaijan.
Durov was in every of the international locations on the identical time, and posted comparable and even equivalent photos and movies to Vavilova, together with of a canyon, at a taking pictures vary, and seemingly in the identical automotive.
Whereas Vavilova appeared to keep away from picturing Durov within the snaps she shared along with her 26,000 followers, the photographs he shared of the journey alongside hers level to them being in the identical places – and reveal their journey throughout Central Asia.
Now she seems to have vanished since arriving in Paris with the Telegram boss, who was detained popping out of his Embraer Legacy 600 non-public jet by French police as a part of an investigation into legal exercise on his platform.
In Kyrgyzstan, Durov is claimed to have whisked her to the mountains in an eight-seater helicopter, whereas insisting on confidentiality over his presence within the nation
A video reveals her sitting subsequent to Durov at trendy restaurant Shore Home Baku, beside the Caspian Sea, revealed by Russian information outlet SHOT
The Dubai-based streamer is named Yulia – or Juli – Vavilova, 24, however that is reportedly not her actual household identify
Pavel Durov’s Instagram is filled with photos and movies of him flaunting his physique
Vavilova’s social media posts have reportedly sparked hypothesis throughout the crypto group that she might have inadvertently led authorities to trace them down once they landed in Paris on Saturday night time.
Footage have emerged of a blonde girl, who seems to be Vavilova, having breakfast with Durov and his colleagues in Baku – the capital of Azerbaijan – earlier than they flew to Paris.
She is seen sitting subsequent to Durov at trendy restaurant Shore Home Baku, beside the Caspian Sea, in video revealed by Russian information outlet SHOT.
The pair are additionally believed to have been collectively at a taking pictures vary in Azerbaijan earlier than leaving for France, with video exhibiting them from behind.
It’s unclear whether or not Vavilova was detained by French authorities together with Durov, with reviews suggesting that the tech tycoon was being accompanied by ‘an assistant and a bodyguard’ on the time of his arrest.
Baptiste Robert, a French cybersecurity professional and founding father of the start-up Predicta Lab, claimed on X that the assistant was in reality Vavilova.
Durov and Vavilova have individually shared photos of themselves on their journey on Telegram and Instagram
Durov and Vavilova share an equivalent image of a canyon – although he mentioned it was in Kazakhstan whereas she tagged the situation as Uzbekistan
Vavilova shared photos from her journey along with her Instagram followers – together with some snaps which have been the identical as Durov’s
Vavilova’s household in Russia can not attain her, in line with reviews, fueling hypothesis that she might have been arrested or is mendacity low.
Durov and Vavilova’s relationship was reportedly identified about in sure circles in Dubai.
A person’s hand and foot seem in her posted photos and he or she used the phrase ‘we’ about her travels, for instance: ‘We received misplaced in a forest.’
She seems from a rear view on a photograph simply earlier than his airplane left Baku for Paris, and reveals her personal photos on what’s strongly believed to be his airplane.
She additionally posted an Instagram story of a personal jet, captioning it ‘New vacation spot unlocked… 3 hours from Kazakhstan’ earlier than asking her followers to guess her whereabouts in a ballot titled ‘The place are we?’
Vavilova beforehand revealed on Twitch – a streaming website utilized by avid gamers – that she had used Crypto foreign money to keep away from sanctions positioned on Russia following Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
Telegram channel VChK-OGPU – with hyperlinks to the Russian safety providers mentioned: ‘Yulia Vavilova and Pavel Durov didn’t notably conceal their relationship, nor the truth that after a tour of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Azerbaijan they deliberate to go to France.’
In Kyrgyzstan, Durov is claimed to have whisked her to the mountains in an eight-seater helicopter, whereas insisting on confidentiality over his presence within the nation.
What is thought is that highly-educated Vavilova kinds herself a gamer, streamer, and crypto investor and who runs a channel about cryptocurrency in Arabic, a language she speaks fluently.
Other than Russian, she can be fluent in English and Spanish.
The ‘crypto coach’ is from Moscow however has lived in Dubai for round two years, and recently Durov has used this as his base after an itinerant life since 2014 when he left this homeland over strain from the Putin regime to permit his safety providers entry to Telegram.
Vavilova’s household in Russia can not attain her, say reviews, selling hypothesis whether or not she has been arrested or is mendacity low
Her mom Ekaterina made clear she had not heard from her daughter since earlier than the airplane landed in Paris.
‘We get all of the information from the media,’ she informed Komsomolskaya Pravda.
‘Our telephones are ringing off the hook, however solely journalists are calling. Perceive our place.’
Her cellphone is just not answering, she informed BAZA information outlet.
The newspaper mentioned that Yulia began utilizing the identify Vavilova when she went to Dubai.
With the couple each on the Baku breakfast and on the Kyrgyzstan helicopter journey was extremely profitable Russian influencer Guseyn Gasanov, 30.
Vavilova has round 45,000 followers throughout a number of platforms, together with Telegram, and is a profitable businesswoman.
It stays removed from clear why Durov flew to Paris with Vavilova when he knew he confronted attainable arrest.
Yulia is reported to have began utilizing the identify Vavilova when she went to Dubai
The messenger app tech tycoon – dwelling in self-imposed exile from his native Russia – is believed to have been conscious of a possible French legal investigation.
He was held at Le Bourget airport outdoors Paris on Saturday night, lower than per week after Vladimir Putin abruptly refused to satisfy him when each males have been in Azerbaijan capital Baku when reportedly a gathering had been brokered.
As a substitute the Kremlin stepped up efforts to dam or decelerate Telegram in Russia final week.
Durov based the so-called Russian Fb – named VK – in addition to Telegram messenger, which is closely used for communications by each side within the Ukrainian battle, and is value £13.6 billion.
He’s anticipated to be investigated over allegations that Telegram is complicit in drug trafficking, youngster pornography and fraud, attributable to an absence of moderation controls, alongside together with his failure to cooperate with French legislation enforcement.
His Telegram empire is value some round £23.5 billion, and he has been dubbed the Mark Zuckerberg of Russia.
He not too long ago revealed himself to be the daddy of greater than 100 youngsters as a sperm donor.
A video earlier than his arrest, doubtless filmed by Vavilova, reveals him driving freely in Kazakhstan shortly earlier than travelling to Azerbaijan then leaving for Paris.
The Kremlin mentioned at the moment: ‘We do not know precisely what Durov is accused of, we have not acquired any official statements but.
‘Let’s wait till the fees are made public, if they’re. After that, we’ll be capable to draw some preliminary conclusions.’
Russia has demanded consular entry to Durov, TASS reviews, however he’s a French citizen and this isn’t more likely to be granted.
