Pavel Durov, founder and CEO of the instant messaging app Telegram, has revealed that he intends to leave his fortune to more than 100 children he has fathered.
The Russian-born tech billionaire disclosed in an interview with the French political magazine Le Point that his estate will be divided among his six children from relationships and dozens more conceived via sperm donation.
“I make no distinction between them—they are all my children and will have the same rights,” said the 40-year-old, adding that he recently drafted his will. “I don’t want them tearing each other apart after my death.”
Durov first disclosed the extent of his paternity last year on social media, saying a doctor had told him it was his “civic duty” to donate his “high-quality donor material”—something he did consistently over 15 years.
Best known as a staunch privacy advocate and for resisting pressure from state authorities, Durov insisted he treats all his children equally, whether conceived naturally or through donation.
Despite an estimated net worth of $13.9 billion, according to Bloomberg, Durov downplayed such figures as “theoretical.” He told Le Point, “Since I’m not selling Telegram, it doesn’t matter. I don’t have that kind of money in a bank account. My liquid assets are far lower—and they don’t come from Telegram, but from my 2013 investment in bitcoin.”
Regardless of the value, Durov said his children will have to wait 30 years before accessing their inheritance. “I want them to live like normal people, to build themselves up, to learn self-reliance, to be creative—not dependent on a bank account.”
Durov, who resides in Dubai, said he formalised his will because of the risks his work entails. “Defending freedoms earns you many enemies, including in powerful states. I want to protect my children, but also the company I created—Telegram. I want Telegram to always remain true to the values I stand for.”
With more than a billion monthly users, Telegram is known for its strong encryption and limited content moderation. But the platform has also drawn scrutiny.
Last year, Durov was arrested in Paris on multiple charges, including allegations that Telegram enabled money laundering, drug trafficking and the spread of child abuse material. He has denied the accusations, calling them “absurd.”
“Just because criminals use our messaging service—among many others—doesn’t make those who run it criminals,” he told Le Point.
