Telegram founder Pavel Durov has revealed he intends to bequeath his fortune to over 100 children he has fathered, stating that all of them will be treated equally in his will. Speaking to French political magazine Le Point, the 40-year-old Russian tech mogul expressed his desire to avoid future familial conflict: “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, who is often described as a staunch advocate of digital privacy and freedom, acknowledged being the official father of six children with three different partners. However, he also disclosed that he has more than 100 other biological children, born through sperm donations to fertility clinics.
The self-exiled entrepreneur said his children will not access their inheritance for another 30 years, a decision he says is designed to ensure they live normal lives. “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 emphasized.
Durov, whose encrypted messaging app Telegram boasts more than a billion active monthly users, said he wrote his will now due to the risks associated with his line of work. “Defending freedoms earns you many enemies, including within powerful states,” he said.
During the interview, Durov also addressed serious criminal charges he faces in France. He was arrested in 2023, accused of failing to moderate criminal activity on Telegram, including drug trafficking, child sexual abuse material, and fraud.
Describing the allegations as “totally absurd,” Durov insisted that using his platform for illicit purposes does not make him a criminal. “Just because criminals use our messaging service among many others doesn’t make those who run it criminals,” he stated. Telegram has consistently denied allegations of insufficient moderation, asserting its cooperation with law enforcement within the framework of privacy rights.
As scrutiny of digital platforms intensifies globally, Durov’s revelations underscore the complex personal and legal dynamics surrounding one of the most influential figures in tech today.
