Russian Billionaire Plans £17B Fortune Shared Among 100+ Children

Pavel Durov, billionaire founder of the Telegram messaging app, has announced plans to divide his estimated $17 billion fortune equally among over 100 children, including six biological children and many conceived through sperm donation across 12 countries. He emphasized that all his children, regardless of their conception, will have the same rights but will not inherit the fortune until 30 years after his death to encourage them to build independent lives. Durov openly acknowledged his sperm donations after a Russian clinic began advertising his sperm for IVF and a woman publicly claimed to have three children fathered by him. Concerned about protecting both his children and his company, Durov framed the inheritance plan as a means to prevent disputes and maintain Telegram’s values amid risks linked to his refusal to share user data with governments. His approach reflects a broader context of prominent tech entrepreneurs advocating for larger families amid global declining birth rates, with parallels drawn to figures like Elon Musk. Durov’s unique family situation and libertarian views add a personal dimension to the private billionaire’s legacy planning.