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Irish Independent
41 minutes ago
- Business
- Irish Independent
Telegram founder reveals he has fathered more than 100 children and they will all share his fortune
©Evening Standard Today at 03:31 The billionaire founder of instant messaging app Telegram has revealed he has fathered more than 100 children and plans to share his fortune among them. Pavel Durov told French political magazine Le Point he has fathered more than 100 children through an IVF clinic in addition to being the "official father" of six other children with three partners.
Hans India
2 hours ago
- Business
- Hans India
Telegram CEO Pavel Durov to Leave $17 Billion Fortune to His 106 Children, Inheritance Set for 2055
In a revelation that has sparked global curiosity, Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov has shared plans to bequeath his entire fortune—estimated at more than $17 billion—to his 106 biological children. However, they'll have to wait until the year 2055 to receive a cent. In an exclusive interview with the French publication Le Point, Durov, 40, disclosed that he is the biological father of 106 children, six of whom were conceived naturally with three different partners. The remaining were born via sperm donation in a dozen countries, a process he began 15 years ago. '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 told Le Point. 'They are all my children, and will all have the same rights!' Based on his current net worth, each child could inherit between $131 million to $161 million, according to Bloomberg and Forbes. But Durov emphasized that the wealth would only be distributed 30 years from the interview date—on June 19, 2055. The reason? He wants them to develop without relying on inherited money. '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. This legacy planning reportedly emerged as Durov was preparing his will, driven in part by the legal uncertainties surrounding his work. In August 2024, he was detained by French authorities at Bourget Airport near Paris. He was arriving from Azerbaijan on a private jet and was taken into custody as part of an investigation into Telegram's alleged role in facilitating illegal activities, including child sexual abuse content, drug trade, money laundering, and organized crime. The arrest formed part of a wider inquiry spearheaded by OFMIN, France's agency for combating violence against minors. Authorities extended Durov's detention for up to 96 hours to allow for continued questioning. He must either face formal charges or be released at the end of this period. Despite the severity of the accusations, Durov remains steadfast in his innocence. 'Nothing has ever been proven showing that I am, even for a second, guilty of anything,' he stated. 'Defending freedoms earns you many enemies, including within powerful states.' Telegram has publicly defended its CEO, calling the allegations absurd. In a statement shared on social media, the company said: 'Telegram's CEO Pavel Durov has nothing to hide and travels frequently in Europe. It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform.' The company affirmed its commitment to legal compliance, noting that it follows the European Union's Digital Services Act and maintains industry-standard content moderation. Since its inception in 2013, Telegram has become one of the world's most-used messaging platforms, lauded for its encryption and data privacy. While this has drawn nearly a billion users, it has also placed the company under scrutiny from law enforcement agencies. But Durov remains unapologetic. 'Just because criminals use our messaging service, among many others, doesn't make those who run it criminals,' he said. As for his 106 children, they'll grow up knowing their future is secure—but only after proving their independence first.
India Today
2 hours ago
- Business
- India Today
Telegram CEO Pavel Durov says he will leave his huge $17 billion fortune to his 106 children
Pavel Durov, the billionaire founder and CEO of Telegram, has announced that he plans to divide his entire fortune – estimated at over $17 billion – among his more than 100 children, most of whom were conceived through sperm donation. In an interview with French magazine Le Point, Durov, 40, said he is the biological father of at least 106 children. Six of them were conceived naturally with three different partners, and the remaining 100-plus were born in 12 countries following anonymous sperm donations he began 15 years 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 said. 'They are all my children, and will all have the same rights!'According to Bloomberg Billionaires Index and Forbes, Durov's net worth ranges between $13.9 billion and $17.1 billion. This would translate to an inheritance of roughly $131 million to $161 million per child, based on current estimates. However, there is a catch. The children won't have access to their shares until 30 years after the date of the interview – 19 June 2055. Durov explained that this decision is intended to ensure they grow up independently. '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 revealed that he made these plans while preparing his will, prompted by the risks involved in his work. This appears to be a reference to the legal challenges he is currently facing in France. In August 2024, Durov was arrested by French authorities at Bourget Airport near Paris, after flying in from Azerbaijan on his private jet. He is under investigation for alleged complicity in enabling illegal activities through Telegram, including child sexual abuse material, drug trafficking, money laundering, and organised arrest was part of a broader investigation led by France's OFMIN, an agency focused on tackling violence against minors. French magistrates extended his detention for up to 96 hours to allow further questioning. After this period, he must either be charged or released. Despite the serious allegations, Durov has denied any wrongdoing. 'Nothing has ever been proven showing that I am, even for a second, guilty of anything,' he told Le Point. He also stressed his belief in defending privacy, adding: 'Defending freedoms earns you many enemies, including within powerful states.'Telegram has stood firmly behind its CEO. In a statement posted on its social media accounts, the company said: 'Telegram's CEO Pavel Durov has nothing to hide and travels frequently in Europe. It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform.'advertisementThe company also clarified that it complies with European Union regulations, including the Digital Services Act, and said its content moderation policies meet industry in 2013, Telegram is known for its strong encryption and refusal to share user data – even with authorities. While the platform has attracted nearly a billion users worldwide, its privacy-first stance has also drawn criticism from law enforcement agencies. Durov, however, remains defiant. 'Just because criminals use our messaging service, among many others, doesn't make those who run it criminals,' he told Le Point.
Indian Express
5 hours ago
- Business
- Indian Express
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.
Straits Times
8 hours ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Telegram CEO to leave fortune to 100 children he's fathered
Pavel Durov, CEO and co-founder of Telegram messaging app, is worth US$13.9 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. PHOTO: AFP DUBAI – Telegram billionaire founder and chief executive officer Pavel Durov plans to leave his vast fortune to the more than 100 children he's fathered, according to an interview with France's Le Point magazine. Mr Durov, 40, said he's the official father of six children with three different partners. He also started sperm donation fifteen years ago and said more than 100 babies had been conceived that way. He doesn't want his kids to touch his fortune for 30 years. He's worth US$13.9 billion (S$17.9 billion), according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. '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,' he said in the interview with the French magazine. 'They are all my children and will all have the same rights,' he said. The tycoon is known for his sometimes provocative behavior, congratulating his 11.1 million subscribers at Easter with a Telegram post where he appeared with a naked torso. He does 300 push-ups in a row followed by 300 squats every morning, avoiding alcohol, coffee and tea, according to the interview. 'I wrote my will very recently,' he said. 'I decided that my children would not have access to my fortune until a period of thirty years has elapsed, starting from today.' With more than 1 billion active users, Dubai-based Telegram is one of the world's most popular messaging apps. Mr Durov was charged in 2024 by French authorities, who claim he was complicit in allowing crimes to be committed on the Telegram app. He's denied the charges. On June 19, Durov won a ruling that should allow him to travel more freely to Dubai. Starting July 10, the billionaire will be allowed to travel there for stints as long as two weeks, according to an official from France's justice ministry. The non-public decision was first reported by Le Monde. BLOOMBERG Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
