Pavel Durov, founder of the instant messaging app Telegram, has announced that his estimated $13.9 billion (£10.3 billion) fortune will be shared among the more than 100 children he has fathered.
“They are all my children and will have the same rights! I don’t want them to tear each other apart after my death,” Durov stated in an interview with French political magazine Le Point.
While he is the “official father” of six children with three different partners, Durov revealed that a clinic where he donated sperm 15 years ago informed him that over 100 babies had been conceived in 12 countries as a result.
Durov emphasized that his children will not access their inheritance for 30 years, aiming for them to grow up “like normal people” and become self-reliant.
The 40-year-old entrepreneur explained that he decided to write a will due to the risks associated with his work, which involves defending freedoms and has garnered him many enemies.
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Telegram, known for its privacy-focused and encrypted messaging, boasts over a billion monthly active users.
Durov also addressed ongoing criminal charges he faces in France, related to accusations of inadequate moderation of the app. He has denied any wrongdoing, calling the charges “totally absurd.”
“Just because criminals use our messaging service among many others doesn’t make those who run it criminals,” he added.
SOURCE: BBC
