Telegram Founder Claims Fathering Over 100 Children Sharing $13.9bn Fortune

Pavel Durov, the billionaire founder of the Telegram messaging app, has revealed that he has fathered more than 100 children through sperm donation at a clinic over the past 15 years across 12 countries. Although he is the official father of six children with three partners, he insists all his offspring will share equally in his estimated $13.9 billion fortune, but they will not have access to it for 30 years to encourage independence and self-reliance. Durov, who has been living in self-imposed exile since 2014, has written a will due to the risks associated with his work defending freedoms, which he says has made him many enemies. He also addressed serious criminal charges in France, where he was arrested last year over allegations that Telegram failed to properly moderate criminal activity, including drug trafficking and child sexual abuse content. Durov denies any wrongdoing, calling the charges "totally absurd" and emphasizing that the use of Telegram by criminals does not implicate its operators. Telegram remains popular, with over a billion monthly active users, and Durov continues to defend the platform's focus on privacy and encrypted messaging.