Billionaire Telegram founder Pavel Durov announces leaving $17B fortune to his over 100 children

Durov told French publication Le Point in a recent interview that he made the decision to include his children in his will recently.

"I make no difference between my children: there are those who were conceived naturally and those who come from my sperm donations," 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."

The 40-year-old founder, who has six children with three partners, has been donating sperm for the past 15 years, according to Fortune. Durov’s donations have helped conceive over 100 babies across 12 countries. Forbes estimates his wealth at $17.1 billion, meaning many of these children could one day inherit a share of his fortune and become millionaires, though they may not even be aware of it.

However, Durov has decided that his children will not have access to his wealth for 30 years. "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 said.

Whether Durov’s children are aware of their inheritance depends on the nature of his sperm donations. Khaled Kteily, CEO of the sperm and fertility clinic Give Legacy, explained that children’s knowledge of their biological father depends on whether Durov was a "directed donor" (known to the birth parent) or an "anonymous donor" (with stricter regulations).

"Paternity tests can confirm that Pavel is the father," said Kteily. "Anyone who believes that Pavel 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."

Born in Russia, Durov founded Telegram in 2013 as an encrypted messaging app, which now has over 1 billion active users.

Last year, he was charged by French authorities for allegedly allowing illegal activities, including sex abuse and drug trafficking, on Telegram. He has denied the charges.

Additionally, Durov faces accusations from the mother of three of his children, who claims he withheld financial support, led a secret double life, and physically assaulted their three-year-old son. The allegations were made in criminal complaints filed in 2023 and 2024, according to The New York Post.