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.