Telegram creator Pavel Durov shocked the world with arguably the most bizarre inheritance announcement in history. The 40-year-old billionaire revealed he will split his entire $13.9 billion fortune between more than 100 children he has fathered, a mix of biological children and children conceived from donations of his sperm for the past 15 years.
The news was delivered in a recent interview with French magazine Le Point, in which Durov discussed his unorthodox methods of fatherhood and legacy management. He may have six children with three women, but his global influence reaches far, far beyond.
Why 100+ Children of Druov Must Wait 3 Decades for Their Fortune
For the past fifteen years, Durov has been donating sperm anonymously, having given birth to over 100 children in 12 nations. The tech billionaire treats all the children equally, regardless of whether they were born naturally or by donation.
“I don’t make any distinction between my children: there are naturally born and there are sperm donation born,” Durov told Le Point. “They are all my children and they will all have the same rights!”
If divided among his estimated 106 children, each would get around $131 million – a figure that would make them some of the wealthiest individuals in the world.
The 30-Year Wait
But there is a huge catch to this inheritance windfall. Durov has penned his will so that none of his children will be able to access the money for the next three decades. His reasoning is rooted in a philosophy of self-reliance and self-betterment.
“I want them to live like regular people, to be independent, to learn to trust themselves, to be able to create, not to be bank-account-dependent,” he explained.
This step is indicative of Durov’s desire that his children create their own careers and lives before they utilize generational wealth that would otherwise change the course of their lives.
Disciplined Leadership of Durov and the Global Rise of Telegram
Durov’s self-discipline is legendary among technology insiders. The billionaire follows a strict regimen of 300 push-ups and 300 squats daily and abstains from drinking, coffee, tea, sugar, and tobacco. He also talks with his 11.1 million Telegram users regularly, offering opinions about technology, privacy, and his own philosophy.
Telegram itself has become an international phenomenon with more than a billion active users drawn to it due to its emphasis on freedom of speech and privacy. Telegram has positioned itself as an alternative to more mainstream messaging apps, although this stance has also invited criticism.
Durov’s statement comes as he is confronting serious legal issues in France. He has been charged with several crimes, including complicity in making it possible for crimes on the Telegram platform, including the distribution of child sexual abuse content and the promotion of drug trafficking.
The head of technology has flatly denied the claims, terming them “absurd” and asserting that it is not the responsibility of platform operators to decide how criminals use them.
Under judicial bail in France, Durov is required to pay substantial bail, present himself to the police at regular intervals, and is barred from traveling outside the country pending investigations. He also has civil suits pending in Switzerland involving custody and child support issues.
A Legacy Like No Other
Durov’s will-to-leave-behind raises interesting questions regarding modern family life, the distribution of wealth, and parental responsibility in the internet age. His decision to treat sperm donation recipients as equal beneficiaries is a challenge to traditional notions of family and inheritance.
As battles in the courts continue and his children grow up around the world, Durov’s unconventional succession strategy ensures his fortune is savored for generations to come, though they will have to wait until 2054 to discover just how wealthy that is.
