Telegram Billionaire Pavel Durov Says His 106 Children Won't Touch His $17-Billion Fortune For 30 Years
At 40, Durov has penned his will, citing the mounting pressures and risks surrounding his life and work.
Telegram's co-founder and billionaire Pavel Durov is making waves once again, but not for his tech empire this time. In a candid interview with French magazine Le Point, Durov opened up about his highly unusual personal life, a fortune worth $17 billion, and the uncertain future of his company as legal troubles swirl around him.
A Staggering Inheritance, But Not Just Yet
At 40, Durov has penned his will, citing the mounting pressures and risks surrounding his life and work. He revealed that he has fathered 106 children—six through relationships with three women, and over 100 more via sperm donations spanning 12 countries. “They weren’t publicity stunts at all,” he stated, confirming the legitimacy of his extensive offspring network.
But these heirs won't be accessing his fortune anytime soon. Durov explained, “I decided that my children would not have access to my fortune until a period of thirty years has elapsed, starting from today.” His reasoning? He wants them to forge their own paths, independent of his wealth. "I don’t want them fighting over money after I’m gone," he added. “They’re all my children. Whether natural or from donations, they’ll all be treated equally.”
Criminal Charges And Corporate Safeguards
While Durov manages Telegram’s operations, he faces serious criminal charges including drug trafficking, money laundering, and fraud. He categorically dismissed the allegations, calling them “a big set-up,” and insisted he’s being targeted without a fair judicial process. French authorities accuse Telegram of being a hotbed for illicit activities, claiming it facilitates drug deals, child exploitation, and financial scams.
Durov defended Telegram’s privacy protocols, stressing that its end-to-end encryption makes it impossible to monitor private communications. “The company only has tools to monitor public channels,” he said. Yet, even if he "disappears," Durov insists that Telegram’s mission will endure: “If I disappear, a non-profit foundation will take over. My goal is to ensure the platform’s continuity: I want it to continue existing independently, regardless of privacy and freedom of expression.”
A Life Of Exile And Discipline
Durov has lived in exile since 2014 after leaving Russia for refusing to surrender protester data to state security services. Now a French citizen living abroad, he follows a rigid lifestyle—no caffeine, no sugar, often without a phone. He views phone notifications as "parasites," choosing instead to conduct his affairs primarily through an iPad. “Notifications are parasites in our lives. I prefer to preserve my mind. It’s also a form of respect for people I interact with: I’m there, with them, really,” he shared.
Despite his global prominence, Durov maintains he is apolitical, has never voted, and supports no political party. His firm stance on free speech remains at the core of Telegram's operations. Refusing to monetise the platform through ads, Durov believes Telegram outpaces its competitors because it's "smarter, faster, and more private."
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