The multi-billionaire founder of the instant messaging app Telegram, Pavel Durov, has stunned everyone by claiming to have fathered more than 100 children and that he plans to divide his entire fortune, estimated at over $17 billion, among all his children, most of whom were conceived through sperm donation.
Pavel Durov claims to have fathered over 100 children
"The clinic, where I started donating sperm 15 years ago to help a friend, told me that more than 100 babies had been conceived this way in 12 countries," 40-year-old Durov told French political magazine Le Point.
Six of his children were conceived naturally with three different partners, and the remaining 100-plus were born in 12 countries following anonymous sperm donations he began 15 years ago. However, the tech billionaire considers them all as his own, and hence, they are all his legitimate heirs.
“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,” Durov said. “They are all my children and will all have the same rights.”
According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Durov’s net worth currently ranges between $13.9 billion and $17.1 billion. This would translate to an inheritance of roughly $131 million to $161 million per child, based on the estimates.
Despite expressing equal recognition of all his offspring, there is a catch. Durov has made it clear that his children will not be able to access their shares until 30 years after the date of the interview, 19 June 2055.
The tech magnate explained that this decision is intended to ensure they grow up independently.
“I wrote my will very recently,” Durov shared. “I decided that my children would not have access to my fortune until a period of thirty years has elapsed, starting from today.”
"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 added.
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Who is Pavel Durov?
Pavel Durov is best known for founding Telegram, one of the world’s most widely used messaging platforms with over one billion active users. He is also quite popular for his minimalist lifestyle and extreme discipline.
In the same Le Point interview, he revealed that his daily routine includes 300 push-ups and 300 squats, and that he abstains from alcohol, coffee, and tea. He regularly shares glimpses of his lifestyle with his 11.1 million followers on Telegram.
Durov addressed criminal charges he faces in France, where he was arrested last year after being accused of failing to moderate the app properly to reduce criminal activity.
The Telegram CEO denied failing to cooperate with law enforcement over drug trafficking, child sexual abuse content and fraud. In the Le Point interview, he said the charges are "totally absurd".
"Just because criminals use our messaging service among many others doesn't make those who run it criminals," he remarked.
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