Telegram founder Pavel Durov on why he fathered over 100 kids: ‘They are all…'
Pavel Durov, founder and CEO of instant messaging app Telegram, said he will leave his estimated $13.9 billion fortune for more than 100 children he has fathered. File photo of Pavel Durov(AFP)
In an interview with French political magazine Le Point, the 40-year-old revealed that he is the 'official father' of six children with three different partners, while the scores of others came through sperm donation.
The Russia-born tech tycoon, who recently wrote his will, said he does not differentiate between his legal children and those who were conceived with the sperm he donated.
'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,' CNN quoted Durov as saying.
The businessman stated that he 'started donating sperm 15 years ago' at a clinic to help his friend. Later on, he was informed that 'more than 100 babies had been conceived this way in 12 countries.'
This isn't the first time Durov has addressed this matter. Last year, he shared on Telegram that a doctor told him that it was his 'civic duty' to donate his 'high quality donor material'.
However, Durov told the magazine that none of his children will be granted access to their inheritance for 30 years.
Why so? Durov, currently in Dubai, wants 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.'
Asked why he wrote his will at the age of 40, Durov said his job involves risk as defending freedoms earns you many enemies, including within powerful states.
Durov asserted that he wants to protect his children as well as Telegram, which looks forward to remaining 'faithful to the values I defend.'
He even spoke about the criminal charges he faces in France, where he was arrested last year on charges relating to a host of crimes. These included allegations that Telegram was complicit in aiding drug traffickers as well as people spreading child pornography, according to CNN.
Durov has called these charges 'absurd.' FAQs:
1. What is Pavel Durov's net worth?
According to Bloomberg, he has an estimated net worth of $13.9 billion.
2. Where is Pavel Durov now?
Durov is currently in Dubai, where his company is based. He holds dual citizenship of France and the UAE.
3. When was Telegram launched?
Durov founded Telegram in 2013. The social media app remains highly popular in Russia.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
29 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Armenian PM meets Erdogan in rare Turkey visit to reset strained ties
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday as part of the two countries' efforts to normalize ties that were strained over historic disputes and Turkey's alliance with Azerbaijan. The talks between the two countries, which have no formal diplomatic ties, were expected to centre on the possible reopening of their joint border as well as the war between Israel and Iran. Turkey, a close ally of Azerbaijan, shut down its border with Armenia in 1993 in a show of solidarity with Baku, which was locked in a conflict with Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region. In 2020, Turkey strongly backed Azerbaijan in the six-week conflict with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh, which ended with a Russia-brokered peace deal that saw Azerbaijan gain control of a significant part of the region. Turkey and Armenia also have a more than century-old dispute over the deaths of an estimated 1.5 million Armenians in massacres, deportations and forced marches that began in 1915 in Ottoman Turkey. Historians widely view the event as genocide. Turkey vehemently rejects the label, conceding that many died in that era but insisting that the death toll is inflated and the deaths resulted from civil unrest. The rare visit by an Armenian leader comes after Ankara and Yerevan agreed in 2021 to launch efforts toward normalizing ties and appointed special representatives to lead talks. Pashinyan previously visited Turkey in 2023 when he attended a presidential inauguration ceremony following an election victory by Erdogan. The two have also held talks on the sideline of a meeting in Prague in 2022. It is Ankara and Yerevan's second attempt at reconciliation. Turkey and Armenia reached an agreement in 2009 to establish formal relations and to open their border, but the deal was never ratified because of strong opposition from Azerbaijan.
India Gazette
31 minutes ago
- India Gazette
Capital infusion of Euro 1.35 billion in Eutelsat for satcom operations
New Delhi [India], June 20 (ANI): Eutelsat announces a Contemplated capital increase of Euro 1.35 billion, anchored by key reference shareholders, to secure the execution of long-term strategic vision. Sunil Bharti Mittal, Founder & Chairman, Bharti Enterprises & Co-Chairman Eutelsat Group, 'I am delighted that under the leadership of President Macron, the French state has decided to back Eutelsat as the European Space Champion and increased its shareholding by injecting a sizeable investment into the company.' He added, 'We are also thrilled to welcome the French armed forces ministry, DGA, partnership with Eutelsat in a long term Euro 1B contract to reserve capacity on Eutelsat's low-Earth orbit OneWeb constellation for its mission critical needs.' Eutelsat is one of only two global operators with active commercial LEO (Low Earth Orbit) fleets and with a clear differentiation, being the only one exclusively focused on the B2B and B2G markets. The LEO revolution, both technological and industrial, has brought satellite communications into a new era, delivering affordable and ubiquitous connectivity at scale, with unprecedented customer experience for satcoms. This unlocks a huge market potential, from bridging the digital divide across all customer segments on a global basis, to unlocking numerous new use cases, such as mobility over land, sea and air. Barriers to entry into LEO - in particular access to, and the requirement to share spectrum secured by Eutelsat - mean only a limited number of players will participate in the massive growth ahead, creating compelling conditions for value creation. Eutelsat is uniquely positioned to capture this market opportunity, thanks to its legacy, fully-invested high cash-flow generating GEO business, its operational scale, commercial momentum, and targeted focus on professional and institutional use cases. Since its acquisition of OneWeb, it has expanded its coverage - now expected to be fully achieved in calendar year-end 2026, secured regulatory approvals in many addressable markets, developed its distribution network and improved its offer with consistent service levels, as evidenced by a backlog of Euro 3.7bn revenues, mostly coming from Connectivity. As the only European operator with a fully operational LEO network, Eutelsat is positioned to play a strategic role in supporting critical sectors such as military communications, cyber-resilience, and secure government connectivity, fully aligned with European Union and NATO objectives for strategic autonomy. The landmark 10-year framework agreement announced earlier this week with France's Ministry of the Armed Forces, aimed at strengthening the integration of civilian and military assets (Nexus program), for a maximum amount of EUR1 billion, illustrates the strategic role of the LEO constellation in France's model for sovereign defense and space communications. Moreover, with its role as the largest private investor in the European Union's IRIS2 (Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite) program, the public-private partnership aiming to build a multi-orbit constellation delivering secure communication services to the EU and its Member States, Eutelsat confirms its status as a central player in assuring Europe's space and connectivity sovereignty. Prior to the approval of the Reserved Capital Increase by Eutelsat's shareholders, the APE will acquire the shares of the Company currently held by Bpifrance Participations, at a price per share equal to the subscription price of the Reserved Capital Increase. Consequently, the Board member representing Bpifrance Participations would be replaced by a representative of the French State. On the back of the forthcoming capital increase, Eutelsat would reduce its leverage to c. 2.5x4 by year-end FY'2025-26, and would be well placed to tap debt capital markets, raise export credit financing and extend its bank debt maturities in order to fully cover the financing needs of its medium-term plan. (ANI)
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
an hour ago
- First Post
‘We will not stop': Israel tells UN Security Council it will press on until Iran's nuclear threat is eliminated
'We will not stop. Not until Iran's nuclear threat is dismantled, not until its war machine is disarmed, not until our people and yours are safe,' said Israeli UN Ambassador Danny Danon during a UN Security Council session on Friday read more Israel's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Danny Danon speaks during a meeting of the United Nations Security Council, about the conflict between Israel and Iran, at UN headquarters in New York City, US., on Friday. Reuters Israel on Friday made it amply clear that strikes against Iran would continue until its nuclear threat is eliminated, even as Iran asserted its right to defend itself against Israel. 'We will not stop,' Reuters quoted Israeli UN Ambassador Danny Danon as saying during a UN Security Council session on Friday. 'Not until Iran's nuclear threat is dismantled, not until its war machine is disarmed, not until our people and yours are safe,' Danon added. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Iran's UN Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani urged the Security Council to take action. 'Israel apparently declared that it will continue this strike for as many days as it takes. We are alarmed by credible report that the United States… may be joining this war,' he was quoted as saying. A week into their conflict, Israel and Iran exchanged strikes again on Friday as President Donald Trump delayed a decision on joining the fight and European ministers raced to revive diplomacy in Geneva. Trump said he would wait two weeks before deciding on US military involvement, which could include strikes on Iran's fortified Fordo nuclear site using 'bunker-buster' bombs. Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had vowed that operations would continue 'for as long as it takes' to eliminate the threat of a nuclear-armed Iran. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, en route to Geneva, ruled out talks with the US while Israeli attacks persisted. 'It is the Americans who want talks,' AP quoted him as saying on state TV. 'They've sent messages several times — very serious ones — but we made it explicitly clear to them that as long as this aggression and invasion continue, there is absolutely no room for talk or diplomacy,' Araghchi added. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Israeli jets struck multiple military targets in Iran on Friday, including missile production sites. Ahead of the Geneva talks, French President Emmanuel Macron said European envoys would present Iran with a 'comprehensive, diplomatic and technical offer of negotiation.' 'We need to regain control on (Iran's nuclear) program through technical expertise and negotiation," AP quoted him as saying. Under the 2015 nuclear deal, Iran agreed to cap uranium enrichment and allow international inspections in exchange for sanctions relief. But after President Trump withdrew the US from the pact, Iran ramped up enrichment to 60%, just below weapons-grade, and curbed inspector access. Despite ongoing Geneva talks, Iran continued striking Israel on Friday. Missiles hit the northern city of Haifa, injuring at least 19 and sending smoke over the port. The Israel-Iran war, which began on June 13 with Israeli strikes on nuclear and military sites, has killed at least 657 people in Iran, including 263 civilians, and wounded over 2,000, according to a Washington-based Iranian rights group. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In response, Iran has launched 450 missiles and 1,000 drones at Israel. Most were intercepted, but at least 24 Israelis have died and hundreds more have been injured, according to the Israeli military. With inputs from agencies
