Telegram boss Pavel Durov plans to leave his 17 billion fortune to his 106 children

In a stunning revelation, Pavel Durov, CEO of Telegram, has announced plans to hand down his estimated $17 billion fortune to more than 100 children he has fathered, including six from relationships and over 100 conceived through sperm donations.

The tech billionaire shared these details in a rare interview with French magazine Le Point on June 19, 2025, emphasizing his desire for all his children to share equally in his wealth but not until 2055.

Durov disclosed that he is the “official father” of six children with three different partners. Additionally, he has fathered at least 100 more children across 12 countries through sperm donations that began 15 years ago to help a friend facing fertility challenges.

“The clinic told me that more than 100 babies had been conceived this way,” Durov told Le Point. He first hinted at his extensive progeny in a 2023 Telegram post, noting his donations as a “civic duty” to address global fertility declines.

Under the terms of his recently drafted will, Durov’s children—whether conceived naturally or through donations—will receive equal shares of his fortune, estimated $17 billion by Forbes.

However, the children must wait 30 years, until June 2055, to access their inheritance, which could amount to between $131 million and $161 million per child.

“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,” Durov explained.

Durov stressed that he makes “no difference” between his children, stating, “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.”

He cited the risks of his work—defending digital freedoms, which he says has earned him “enemies within powerful states”—as a reason for finalizing his will now.