Telegram Founder Pavel Durov Plans to Distribute Wealth Among Over 100 Offspring

Pavel Durov, the founder of the encrypted messaging application Telegram, has announced his intention to distribute his multi-billion dollar fortune among his more than 100 biological children. In an interview published on Thursday by the French magazine Le Point, the Russian entrepreneur, who is the sole shareholder of Telegram, expressed his desire for all his children to have equal rights. Durov stated, "I don't want them to tear each other apart after my death." He claimed that his sperm donations have resulted in the birth of over 100 children across 12 countries. Additionally, he is the legal father of six children born to three different women. Durov mentioned that none of his children will have access to their inheritance for another 30 years. He explained, "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." The billionaire revealed that he recently made his will. When asked about the timing, Durov suggested that "defending freedoms earns you many enemies, including within powerful states." The 40-year-old, who resides in Dubai, was arrested last year by French authorities, who accused him of insufficient efforts to tackle criminal activities on his platform. Durov has consistently denied these allegations, describing the charges as "totally absurd." He stated, "Just because criminals use our messaging service among many others doesn't make those who run it criminals." Telegram, founded by Durov in 2013, has more than a billion monthly users.