Telegram founder Pavel Durov reveals he was target of 2018 poisoning attempt that shut down his body: Thought I was dying

Telegram founder Pavel Durov suspected that he was poisoned by a “weird neighbor” in 2018 during an assassination attempt that rendered him unable to walk for weeks.The billionaire CEO kept the surprising revelation a secret for nearly a decade because he was in the process of developing a blockchain to be compatible with his messaging site, and feared any word of his health would cause problems.“That was the only instant in my life that I thought I was dying,” Durov told podcaster Lex Fridman on Monday.Durov said he and his older brother were developing the digital ledger through the project TON, and raised over $1.7 billion in three months and Telegram had been banned in Russia and Iran when he was allegedly poisoned.The 40-year-old Russian social media boss had arrived back at his rented townhouse, where he lived alone, when he found something his “weird neighbor” had left him at the door.“One hour after, when I was already in my bed, I felt very bad.I felt pain all over my body,” he said.

“I tried to get up and go to the bathroom.But while I was going there, I felt the functions of my body started to switch off.”He claimed he lost his eyesight and hearing before he began having trouble breathing.

“Everything accompanied by very acute pain,” Durov said.“Heart, stomach, all blood vessels.

It’s difficult to explain, but one thing I was certain about was, ‘yeah, this is it.'”Durov, who claimed to have perfect health, believed he was dying as he was left immobilized.“I couldn’t breathe, I couldn’t see anything, was very painful.

I thought it was over,” he said.“I thought, ‘Well, I had a good life.

Managed to accomplish a few things.Then I collapsed on the floor.”He awoke on the ground the next day, but said he couldn’t stand up because he felt “super weak” and discovered that his blood vessels all over his body were “broken.”“Something like this never happened to me,” he said.

“I couldn’t walk for...