A United Nations report has highlighted how powerful criminal networks in Southeast Asia are using the messaging app Telegram to conduct large-scale illicit activities.
Dubai-based Telegram has 950 million users. Telegram has recently celebrated its 11-year anniversary. The report, released by the United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime (UNODC), underscores the role that the encrypted app has played in transforming organized crime in the region, 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 are openly traded in large volumes on the app’s poorly moderated channels.
In addition, tools for cybercrime, 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 services.
One alarming discovery in the report includes an advertisement claiming to move $3 million in stolen cryptocurrency (USDT) from overseas every day. This showcases how organized crime groups, especially those operating out of Southeast Asia, have increasingly turned to Telegram to support their activities, including cyber-enabled fraud. The report found that vendors were specifically targeting transnational organized crime groups in the region.
Southeast Asia has become a major hub for these illicit activities, with syndicates, many of which are Chinese-operated, generating between $27.4 billion and $36.5 billion annually through fraudulent schemes. These syndicates often operate from heavily guarded compounds, where trafficked workers are forced to participate in these scams.
Telegram, founded by Russian-born Pavel Durov, has faced growing international scrutiny. Pavel Durov was arrested in Paris in August 2024 and charged with allowing criminal activity on the platform, including the spread of sexual images of children. His arrest has sparked a debate about the legal responsibility of app providers, particularly when it comes to balancing freedom of speech with law enforcement.
In response to these charges, Pavel Durov — who is currently out on bail — announced that Telegram would begin providing user IP addresses and phone numbers to authorities following legal requests. The app would also remove certain features that had been exploited for illegal activities.
Benedikt Hofmann, the UNODC’s 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 a higher risk of being fed into 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 identified over 10 deepfake software providers targeting cyber-enabled fraudsters in Southeast Asia.
As criminal networks continue to exploit Telegram’s capabilities, the report serves as a reminder of the growing need for tech platforms to take greater responsibility in preventing their misuse by illicit groups. Telegram, which currently has nearly 1 billion users, has yet to comment on the UNODC report.
Elsewhere in Asia, authorities are also cracking down on Telegram’s role in enabling cybercrimes. South Korean police, for example, have launched an investigation into whether the app is facilitating 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.
