Telegram Founder Pavel Durov Says He Has 106 Children, Divides Fortune Equally Among Them

Pavel Durov

Telegram co-founder Pavel Durov has revealed that he is dividing his estimated $17.1 billion fortune among his children—whom he says number at least 106.

The 40-year-old tech billionaire, known for his staunch stance on privacy and free speech, told French media that while he has six children through natural conception, he has also anonymously donated sperm resulting in over 100 children in at least 12 countries.

“I want to specify that I make no difference between my children: there are those who were conceived naturally and those who come from my sperm donations,” Durov stated. “They are all my children and will all have the same rights!”

Durov also disclosed that his heirs will not have access to their inheritances until June 19, 2055—30 years from the date of the interview. He said he made this decision so they could "live like normal people" and "learn to trust themselves," rather than becoming dependent on wealth.

Pavel Durov

“I want them to build themselves up alone, to be able to create,” he added.

The decision to allocate his wealth now, Durov said, was motivated by the risks associated with his line of work. Since founding Telegram in 2013, the encrypted messaging platform has grown to over 800 million active users, known for offering strong privacy protections that appeal to free speech advocates and dissidents alike. However, its reputation has also attracted scrutiny from governments and law enforcement agencies.

Durov is currently facing legal trouble in France. In August 2024, French prosecutors charged him with allegedly facilitating illegal activity on Telegram’s platform, including child exploitation material, drug trafficking, and financial fraud. Durov has denied any wrongdoing.

“Nothing has ever been proven showing that I am, even for a second, guilty of anything,” he asserted. “Defending freedoms earns you many enemies, including within powerful states.”

Telegram has maintained that it employs various moderation technologies and enforcement tools to combat illicit content and criminal activity on its platform.