Telegram founder to split $17B fortune among his 106 children
What's the story
Pavel Durov, the billionaire founder of popular messaging app Telegram, has revealed his plan to distribute his massive wealth among over 100 children he fathered.
In an interview with French political magazine Le Point, Durov said he wants his estimated $17.1 billion fortune to be shared among all his children equally.
"They are all my children and will all have the same rights! I don't want them to tear each other apart after my death," he said.
Parenting details
'I make no difference between my children'
Durov, who is the "official father" of six kids with three different partners, has also fathered over 100 other children by donating sperm to a fertility clinic.
He clarified that he doesn't differentiate between his biological and non-biological children.
"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," he told Le Point.
Inheritance access
Why the billionaire is delaying his children's access to wealth
Despite his egalitarian approach, Durov has said that his children won't get access to his wealth for the next 30 years.
"I wrote my will very recently," he noted. "I decided that my children would not have access to my fortune until a period of 30 years has elapsed, starting from today."
He wants them to live like normal people and learn self-reliance before inheriting their share of the fortune.
Lifestyle and allegations
Durov leads an unconventional life
Durov, who has a cult-like following in the tech world for creating Telegram, one of the most popular messaging apps with over a billion active users, leads an unconventional life.
He interacts with his 11.1 million Telegram followers regularly and follows a strict daily routine of 300 push-ups and squats while avoiding alcohol, coffee, and tea altogether.
However, he is also facing allegations from the mother of three of his children for not providing financial support.
Legal issues
He was charged for allowing abuse on his app
Durov has been embroiled in legal battles with Russia over free speech.
Last year, he was charged by French officials for allegedly allowing sex abuse and drug trafficking crimes on Telegram. He has denied these charges.
In March, he said he had returned to his residence in Dubai after being arrested by Paris authorities last summer, which had resulted in a travel ban.