Pavel Durov, the enigmatic founder and CEO of the popular instant messaging app Telegram, has made headlines with extraordinary claims about his family life and a unique plan for his vast fortune. In a revealing interview with the French political magazine Le Point, Durov stated he has fathered more than 100 children and intends to distribute his estimated $13.9 billion wealth equally among all of them.
A Large and Unconventional Family
The 40-year-old tech magnate clarified his statement, explaining his paternity extends through two avenues. Firstly, he is the “official father” of six children born from relationships with three different partners. Secondly, he claims to have fathered over 100 additional children through sperm donation.
Durov revealed he began donating sperm about 15 years ago to assist a friend. He stated that the clinic later informed him that more than 100 babies had been conceived using his donations across 12 different countries. Often compared to figures like Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk for his influence and outspoken nature, Durov has also publicly expressed pro-natalist views, advocating for more children globally.
The $13.9 Billion Inheritance Plan
Addressing the future of his substantial fortune, which the Bloomberg Billionaires Index pegs at $13.9 billion (£10.3 billion), Durov declared his intention for every single one of his children, regardless of how they were conceived, to share equally in the wealth.
“They are all my children and will all have the same rights!” Durov is quoted as saying, adding that he wants to prevent them from “tear[ing] each other apart after my death.” Based on his current net worth and a count of at least 106 children, this could potentially mean an inheritance of around $131 million for each heir.
A 30-Year Wait for Wealth
However, accessing this potential windfall won’t be immediate. Durov revealed a significant condition in his recently drafted will: none of his children will gain access to their inheritance for 30 years from the present date.
Explaining the unconventional stipulation, he said his goal is to foster self-reliance and independence in his children. “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 stated.
Why Draft a Will Now? Risks and Enemies
When asked why he chose to formalize his will at the relatively young age of 40, Durov cited the inherent dangers of his profession. He believes that “defending freedoms earns you many enemies, including within powerful states,” a sentiment perhaps born from his past experiences.
Durov previously founded VKontakte (VK), Russia’s largest social network, but left the country in 2014 after clashing with authorities over demands to censor opposition figures. This experience directly influenced the creation of Telegram in 2013 with his brother Nikolai, designing it with a focus on privacy and end-to-end encryption specifically to resist government interference. Telegram operates a global network of servers partly to prevent control by any single nation and has grown to boast over a billion monthly active users, recently reporting its first annual profit in 2024.
Facing Legal Challenges in France
The interview also touched upon the serious legal challenges Durov currently faces. He was detained in France in August 2024 and is facing charges related to allegations that Telegram has been inadequately moderated, allowing it to facilitate criminal activities such as drug trafficking, fraud, and the spread of child sexual abuse material.
Durov vehemently denied the charges in the interview, describing them as “totally absurd.” He argued that the mere fact that criminals might use Telegram, alongside many other communication services, does not inherently make the platform’s operators criminals. His detention has reignited debates about the responsibility of tech executives for content and activities on their platforms. If convicted, Durov could face up to 10 years in prison. He was initially required to remain in France but was permitted a temporary visit to Dubai in March 2025, where Telegram is headquartered.
Beyond the high-stakes tech and legal battles, Durov is known for an unorthodox and often private lifestyle, reportedly based in the Middle East, maintaining a strict personal regimen that includes intense workouts and avoiding alcohol, caffeine, sugar, and smoking. His recent statements offer a rare glimpse into the personal and financial complexities surrounding one of the tech world’s most controversial figures.
