Telegram co-founder reveals his 106 kids won't see a dime of his $17 billion for next 30 years: ‘Biological or sperm-donated, I don't differentiate'
The controversial co-founder of Telegram, one of the world's biggest encrypted messaging apps, is making headlines again. Pavel Durov, 40, is facing serious criminal charges: drug trafficking, money laundering, fraud. However, the tech mogul has called all this a 'big set-up,' claiming he's being punished without a fair trial. In a recent interview with French magazine Le Point, Durov said he has already written his will, partly because of the uncertainty surrounding him. He confirmed having 106 kids, saying, 'They weren't publicity stunts at all,' and now he plans to divide his assets equally among them. He also opened up about the future of the platform if one day he 'suddenly disappears.'
Durov admitted he has six biological children with three different women and at least 100 more kids born from his sperm donations. Recalling how it started 15 years ago when he donated sperm to help a friend, Durov said the clinic told him he's biologically the father of over 100 children, born across 12 different countries. 'I wrote my will very recently,' he said, adding, all 106 children will inherit his $17 billion fortune. But not anytime soon. According to Durov, none of them will see a dime for 30 years from the day he gave the interview. ' I decided that my children would not have access to my fortune until a period of thirty years has elapsed, starting from today.' He wants them to earn their own way first, to grow into independent people, and not just live off his money. 'I don't want them fighting over money after I'm gone,' he said. 'They're all my children. Whether natural or from donations, they'll all be treated equally.'
Also read: Telegram CEO claims he has over '100 biological kids'; Elon Musk reacts: 'Genghis Khan'
When pressed on why he chose to write a will at such a young age, he spoke about the high risks involved in his work. Running Telegram, an app with over a billion users, including world leaders like Zelensky and Macron, puts him on the radar of powerful enemies. 'I want to protect my children, but also the company I created, Telegram. I want Telegram to forever remain faithful to the values I defend.'
French authorities accuse Telegram of being used for illegal activities, drug deals, child exploitation, and financial scams, and say the platform isn't doing enough to stop it. Durov, in his defence, said that's impossible because the company only has tools to monitor public channels and can't read private messages due to its end-to-end encryption. If anything happens to him, Durov says Telegram won't die. 'If I disappear, a non-profit foundation will take over. My goal is to ensure the platform's continuity: I want it to continue existing independently, respectfully of privacy and freedom of expression,' he said.
Also read: Telegram CEO Pavel Durov's arrest: What are the allegations against the messaging app?
Today, he lives in exile, he's a French citizen living abroad, ever since he left Russia in 2014 after refusing to hand over protester data to security services. He lives a strict life; no tea, no coffee, no sugar. He doesn't even carry a phone most days. He says discipline frees him and helps him focus better. He calls phone notifications 'parasites,' adding that he prefers an iPad for meetings and communication. 'Notifications are parasites in our lives. I prefer to preserve my mind. It's also a form of respect for people I interact with: I'm there, with them, really.' He says he's apolitical, has never voted, and doesn't support any party. But one thing he does strongly believe in is free speech. Telegram has grown without running ads. Durov says that's because the app is smarter, faster, and more private than its competitors.
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