The UN emphasizes Telegram’s role in facilitating criminal networks

A United Nations report has highlighted how powerful criminal networks in Southeast Asia are using the messaging app Telegram to carry out large-scale illegal activities.

Dubai-based Telegram has 950 million users. Telegram recently celebrated its 11th anniversary. The report, released by the United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime (UNODC), underlines the role the encrypted app has played in transforming organized crime in the region, the Reuters news report said.

According to the UNODC, Telegram has become a hub for a variety of illegal activities, including the sale of hacked data, such as credit card details, passwords and browser history, which is openly traded in large quantities on the app’s poorly managed channels.

In addition, cybercrime tools such as deepfake software used for fraud and data-stealing malware are also widely available. Unlicensed cryptocurrency exchanges on the platform have become popular for money laundering.

One alarming discovery in the report includes an advertisement claiming that $3 million worth of stolen cryptocurrency (USDT) is being transported from abroad every day. This shows how organized crime groups, especially those operating from Southeast Asia, have increasingly turned to Telegram to support their activities, including cyber fraud. The report found that sellers specifically targeted transnational organized crime groups in the region.

Southeast Asia has become a major hub for these illegal activities, with syndicates, many of which are controlled by China, generating between $27.4 billion and $36.5 billion annually through fraudulent schemes. These syndicates often operate from heavily guarded complexes, where trafficked workers are forced to participate in these scams.

Telegram, founded by Russian-born Pavel Durov, has faced increasing international criticism. Pavel Durov was arrested in Paris in August 2024 and charged with allowing criminal activities on the platform, including the distribution of sexual images of children. His arrest has sparked a debate over the legal responsibility of app providers, especially when it comes to balancing freedom of expression and law enforcement.

In response to these allegations, Pavel Durov – who is currently out on bail – announced that Telegram would begin providing users’ IP addresses and phone numbers to authorities following legal requests. The app would also remove certain features that had been misused for illegal activities.

Benedikt Hofmann, UNODC Deputy Representative for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, emphasized that Telegram’s environment makes it easy for criminals to operate. “For consumers, this means their data is at greater risk of being caught in scams or other criminal activity than ever before,” he said.

The report also highlighted the role of emerging technologies in organized crime, noting that criminal groups had integrated advanced business models and tools such as generative AI, deepfakes and malware into their operations. The UNODC has identified more than ten deepfake software vendors targeting cyber fraudsters in Southeast Asia.

As criminal networks continue to exploit Telegram’s capabilities, the report is a reminder of the growing need for technology platforms to take greater responsibility in preventing its misuse by illegal groups. Telegram, which currently has almost 1 billion users, has not yet commented on the UNODC report.

Elsewhere in Asia, authorities are also cracking down on Telegram’s role in enabling cybercrime. For example, South Korean police have launched an investigation into whether the app facilitates online sex crimes, while in India a hacker used chatbots on Telegram to leak sensitive information from a top insurer. This prompted the insurer to sue the platform.