Pavel Durov, founder of Telegram and former head of VKontakte, has declared that more than 100 of his children will inherit his estimated $13.9 billion fortune, just not anytime soon.
The 40-year-old Russian-born entrepreneur, who now lives in Dubai and holds both French and UAE citizenship, revealed that his inheritance plans are already set.
In a conversation with French magazine Le Point, Pavel Durov said all his children, both those born through natural conception and others via anonymous sperm donations, will be treated equally in his will. But none of them will see a single cent for the next 30 years.
“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 stated.
Pavel Durov is officially the father of six children with three different partners. However, he disclosed that more than 100 other children were conceived through sperm he began donating 15 years ago, initially to help a friend.
“The clinic, where I started donating sperm fifteen years ago to help a friend, told me that more than 100 babies had been conceived this way in 12 countries,” he said.
“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.”
Durov’s decision to formalise his estate comes amid serious legal challenges. French authorities arrested him in 2024 at Bourget Airport near Paris, accusing him of failing to moderate Telegram’s content and of neglecting to cooperate with law enforcement on issues like drug trafficking, child sexual exploitation, and financial fraud. He has always rejected the accusations.
“Just because criminals use our messaging service among many others doesn’t make those who run it criminals,” he told Le Point, calling the accusations “totally absurd.”
Telegram, which Durov founded in 2013 after being ousted from VKontakte for refusing Kremlin censorship demands, now boasts more than a billion active users.
The app has become a haven for those seeking privacy, but its loose moderation policies have triggered reviews across multiple jurisdictions. Reports say its architecture enables the rapid spread of misinformation and illegal content, from far-right extremism to paedophilic material.
Even with challenges, Durov is still adamant about Telegram’s mission and autonomy. He insists the company will never be sold and will instead transition to a non-profit foundation if he dies.
“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.”
The billionaire downplays his wealth, even though estimates from Bloomberg and Forbes place it between $13.9 billion and $17 billion. “Since I’m not selling Telegram, it doesn’t matter. I don’t have this money in a bank account. My liquid assets are much lower – and they don’t come from Telegram: they come from my investment in bitcoin in 2013,” he told the magazine.
