Pavel Durov's 100-Plus Children Won't See A Cent Of His Fortune Until 2055, Here's What The Telegram CEO Plans To Do With His Estate

Telegram founder Pavel Durov says he will divide his roughly $17 billion fortune among more than 100 children he has fathered, but they will have to wait three decades to claim it.

What Happened: Durov, 40, told Le Point he recently drafted a will stipulating that biological or sperm-donated “they will all have the same rights," yet none will see any cash until 2055 so they can "build themselves up alone."

The messaging-app billionaire said he has six children with three partners and at least 100 more conceived through anonymous sperm donations in 12 countries, a tally confirmed by the clinic he has used for 15 years.

Based on his Bloomberg-indexed wealth, each heir could inherit about $131 million if today's figure holds. "I want them to live like normal people … not be dependent on a bank account," Durov said, adding the delay should prevent "tearing each other apart after my death."

The Russian-born entrepreneur maintains a strict regimen. 300 push-ups, 300 squats daily, no alcohol, caffeine or sugar, highlighting what he calls a self-reliant philosophy. He also brushed off French criminal charges alleging Telegram enables child-abuse content and drug trafficking, calling the accusations "absurd."

See also: Mark Cuban Says Were He To Become President For A Day, He Would Make These Two Simple Moves To Overhaul US Healthcare

Why It Matters: Telegram, which boasts more than 900 million users, raised fresh capital this spring as investors bet on its premium subscriber push, a strategy analysts say could lift valuations ahead of a long-discussed IPO. Still, Durov warned that defending privacy creates enemies “within powerful states”, one reason he finalized his estate plan now.

The revelation thrusts Durov into a rare club of ultra-rich planning multigenerational legacies. Warren Buffett, for one, plans to give away 99% of his Berkshire Hathaway BRK BRK fortune through a charitable trust his three children must jointly administer, continuing annual stock gifts that have already exceeded half his original holdings and could distribute more than $10 billion a year after his death.

Bill Gates likewise limits each heir to about $10 million, plans to sunset the Gates Foundation by 2045 after roughly $200 billion in total giving, and argues great wealth "should benefit society, not children who did nothing to earn it."

Photo Courtesy: Thrive Studios on Shutterstock.com

Read next: Elon Musk Says Tesla Works Closely With xAI: ‘You Can Either Be A Spectator…’