In a move that has surprised many, Pavel Durov, the Russian‑born billionaire of the messaging platform Telegram, will be splitting his estimated $14bn (R252bn) estate equally between his six “official” children and the more than 100 others conceived through his sperm bank donations across 12 countries, making them all multi-millionaires.
According to Durov, each of his at least 106 children stands to inherit roughly $132m ( R2.4bn).
This includes both those conceived naturally and those born through sperm bank donations. In an interview with the French publication Le Point, he explained why he wanted to treat all of them the same.
“I make no difference between my children: there are those who were conceived naturally and those who come from my sperm donations. 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.
Although the sums involved are staggering, Durov has implemented a long‑term stipulation. He confirmed that none of the children would gain access to their inheritance until thirty years had passed.
“I decided that my children would not have access to my fortune until a period of thirty years has elapsed, starting from today,” he stated. “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.”
The 40‑year‑old entrepreneur has six official children with three different partners. However, he has also been a regular sperm bank donor for the past 15 years and has helped conceive over 100 children across a dozen nations.
Thanks to the recent changes to his will, even those who have never met him or are unaware of their biological parentage now stand to benefit from his $13.9bn (around R250bn) estate.
IOL Lifestyle
