Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov has announced plans to leave his estimated $17 billion fortune to his 106 biological children—but not until the year 2055. The 40-year-old tech mogul revealed the decision during a recent interview with French magazine Le Point, explaining that the 30-year delay is intended to instill independence and self-reliance in his children before they gain access to the inheritance.
“I wrote my will very recently,” Durov stated. “I decided that my children would not have access to my fortune until thirty years from now. I want them to live like ordinary people, to build themselves, to learn self-confidence and creativity, rather than rely on a bank account.”
Durov emphasized that all of his children—whether conceived naturally or via sperm donation—will receive equal rights to his estate. “I make no distinction between my children. Some were conceived naturally, and others through sperm donation. They are all my children and will all be treated equally. I don’t want any conflict or rivalry after my death.”
According to Durov, six of his children were conceived naturally with three different partners. The remaining 100+ children were conceived through anonymous sperm donations made over the last 15 years in 12 countries. “I started donating sperm to help a friend, and the clinic recently informed me that more than 100 children have been conceived from those donations,” he explained.
Based on Durov’s current net worth, each child could inherit between $131 million and $161 million, according to estimates by Bloomberg and Forbes.
The revelation comes amid ongoing legal scrutiny in France. In August 2024, Durov was briefly detained at Bourget Airport near Paris upon arrival from Azerbaijan on a private jet. Details regarding the case remain limited, but the incident has drawn attention alongside his unconventional legacy planning.
