Pavel Durov, the billionaire founder of the encrypted messaging app Telegram, has revealed that he plans to divide his entire fortune—estimated at $13.9 billion—among more than 100 of his biological children. In an exclusive interview with French political magazine Le Point, the 40-year-old tech mogul said he has officially fathered six children through relationships with three different women, but added that his biological legacy extends far beyond that. According to Durov, a fertility clinic where he began donating sperm 15 years ago to help a friend recently informed him that over 100 children had been conceived as a result of his donations, in at least 12 different countries.
Durov, often described as reclusive and fiercely private, made it clear that he considers all of those children equally his and wants every single one of them to have equal rights to his estate. He said he had no intention of letting his heirs fight each other over wealth once he’s gone, stating, “They are all my children and will all have the same rights! I don't want them to tear each other apart after my death.” Yet, he also stressed that they will not receive their inheritance immediately. In a move that reflects his personal philosophy on self-reliance, he said the fortune will only be available to them after they turn 30. His reasoning is that wealth should not become a crutch or an obstacle to personal growth, and that he wants his children to live normal lives, develop independence, and build their own paths before gaining access to his resources.
Durov, a Russian-born entrepreneur who left his home country years ago due to political disagreements and now lives in self-exile, emphasized that writing a will was a necessity because of the risks associated with his work. As the founder of a messaging platform that champions privacy and resists government surveillance, he said he’s made enemies in some of the world’s most powerful circles. “Defending freedoms earns you many enemies, including within powerful states,” he said, implying that his life’s work has put him in potentially dangerous situations.
In the same interview, Durov also responded to serious criminal charges currently facing him in France. French authorities accuse him of failing to take adequate steps to prevent Telegram from being used for illicit purposes including drug trafficking, child sexual abuse material, and large-scale fraud. Durov denied all allegations, calling them “totally absurd” and insisting that he has cooperated with law enforcement within legal boundaries. He argued that the existence of bad actors using a communication platform does not make the developers or operators criminals, stating, “Just because criminals use our messaging service among many others doesn’t make those who run it criminals.” Telegram has also publicly denied claims that it lacks sufficient moderation and has defended its systems as being consistent with user rights and international norms.
The revelations about Durov’s children and his approach to wealth and responsibility have sparked widespread conversation. Some praise his transparency and long-term thinking, while others question the implications of anonymously fathering over 100 children and tying them to a massive financial legacy. Durov himself, however, appears unmoved by controversy. He sees his decision as consistent with his values: freedom, privacy, independence, and fairness. His legacy, it seems, will be one not only of technology and privacy, but also of an extraordinary and unconventional approach to fatherhood and inheritance.