Telegram Founder Durov to Leave $14 Billion Fortune to 100 Children

Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, has announced that his over 100 children will inherit his fortune, which is currently valued at nearly $14 billion. This includes the six children he has with three different partners, as well as at least 100 others conceived through his sperm bank donations. Each child is set to inherit approximately $132 million, making them overnight millionaires. Durov's decision to include all his children in his will, regardless of whether they were conceived naturally or through sperm donations, is a testament to his belief in equal rights for all his offspring.

In an interview with a French publication, Durov revealed that he wrote his will recently and made no distinction between his children. He expressed his desire to prevent his children from tearing each other apart after his death. Durov also stated that his children will not have access to his fortune until a period of thirty years has elapsed, starting from today. He believes that this will allow his children to live like normal people, build themselves up alone, learn to trust themselves, and create without being dependent on a bank account.

Give Legacy, a sperm and fertility clinic, has stated that whether or not the children know they are set for the windfall from their biological dad depends on whether Durov was a "directed donor," known to the birth parent, or an "anonymous donor" with tighter regulations. Khaled Kteily, CEO of Give Legacy, explained that identity verification is reasonably straightforward and that paternity tests can confirm that Durov is the father. Anyone who believes that Durov is their biological father could submit a sample to verify. Depending on each country’s laws as well as relationships with the birth mother, the child could already be made aware.

Durov, a Russian-born entrepreneur, founded Telegram in 2013, a messaging app that allows for free speech and is divorced from government-requested censorship. However, his refusal to comply with demands to shut down opposition communities on another popular communications platform he had founded, VKontakte, led to his fleeing his home country in 2014. Since then, he has invested all his energy into building up Telegram.

Despite the platform's commitment to free speech, a lack of moderation has led to some serious issues. In August of 2024, Durov was placed under formal investigation in France for allegedly being complicit in running a platform that enabled an organized gang to perform illicit transactions. He was also accused by French prosecutors of complicity in the organized distribution of sexual images of children on Telegram. Indicted on six charges in total, he was initially barred from leaving France without permission during the investigation but was later authorized to move to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, where he holds dual-citizenship and runs his platform. Durov's lawyer has denied the accusations, stating that it is "absurd" to accuse his client of being involved in criminal acts that don’t concern him either directly or indirectly.

Telegram has also been criticized for reportedly allowing disinformation and extremism to spread, including neo-Nazi ideologies and pedophilic material.

Durov's decision to leave his fortune to his children stands out among other billionaires who have different plans for their wealth. Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates, worth $176 billion, plans to leave less than 1% of his fortune to his children. Gates believes that it wouldn’t be a favor to them and that he wants to give them a chance to have their own earnings and success. Philanthropist and businesswoman Laurene Powell Jobs, who was married to late Apple cofounder Steve Jobs, also won’t be forking over her $14.1 billion estate to her kids. Guy Fieri, one of the wealthiest hosts in food TV history, with a $100 million Food Network contract, has stated that his kids won’t get a dime unless they work for it.