PARIS, FRANCE – Pavel Durov, the enigmatic 40-year-old co-founder of the popular messaging platform Telegram, has revealed a controversial plan to divide his estimated $17.1 billion fortune (per Forbes) among his astonishingly large brood of “at least 106 children.”
In an interview with French outlet Le Point, Durov, known for his privacy-centric app and the legal challenges that often accompany it, stated that he has six biological children conceived naturally and has also been a sperm donor for over 100 children across 12 countries.
Durov explained that his foray into sperm donation began by helping a friend, with subsequent donations made anonymously. He emphasized his commitment to treating all his offspring equally, regardless of their conception. “I want to specify that I make no difference between my children: There are those who were conceived naturally and those who come from my sperm donations,” he told Le Point. “They are all my children and will all have the same rights!”
However, the inheritance will not be immediately accessible upon his death. Durov has stipulated that his children will only gain access to their inheritances 30 years from the date of the interview, placing the earliest access at June 19, 2055. This unusual clause is intended to foster self-reliance. “I want them to live like normal people, to build themselves up alone, to learn to trust themselves, to be able to create, not to be dependent on a bank account,” he explained.
Durov indicated that the decision to outline his estate plan now stems from the inherent risks associated with his work, an apparent reference to the ongoing legal pressures surrounding Telegram. The messaging app, launched in 2013, has gained immense popularity for its strong encryption and privacy features, which have also put it at odds with law enforcement agencies globally.
The Telegram co-founder faced charges in France in August 2024, accused of complicity in facilitating a platform where illicit activities, including child sex abuse material, drug trafficking, and fraud, could flourish, as reported by The New York Times and NBC News. The current status of this case remains unclear, though Durov asserted to Le Point, “Nothing has ever been proven showing that I am, even for a second, guilty of anything.”
He added a defiant note, stating, “Defending freedoms earns you many enemies, including within powerful states.” Telegram has publicly stated its use of various content moderation techniques to combat illegal behavior on its platform.
