Durov, creator of Telegram, has arranged for the inheritance of over 100 children, although there's a catch: he's penned a will.
Rebel with a Cause: Pavel Durov, the Speech Champion Ready to Take on the Establishment
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In a world where big tech faces heavy-handed scrutiny, Telegram founder Pavel Durov stands like a rock, refusing to budge. Accused of complicity in heinous crimes such as drug trafficking, money laundering, and even child pornography by French authorities, Durov dismisses it all as a wicked charade. Instead, he proclaims himself the champion of free speech, readying for a battle with the powerful.
Drowning in a storm of accusations, Durov reflects on his predicament, "Nothing has been proven to even briefly suggest my guilt for any of these allegations. But it seems I'm already being punished at this stage, with travel restrictions. It's as if French judges understood there was not enough evidence for a real conviction, so they decided to punish me now." A meeting with the judge handling his case is set for July, but Durov can't help but feel exasperated, musing, "I understand that everything takes time. But why must I stay in France while waiting?"
Recalling his initial detention upon arrival at Paris' Le Bourget airport last year, Durov recounts, "I was interrogated constantly. For four days, I answered questions. At night, bright lights illuminated the 7 sq. m room where I slept on a concrete bed. It was clean, but there was no pillow, and the mattress was no thicker than a yoga mat."
His legal troubles and Parisian imprisonment put a strain on his relationship with his loved ones, primarily his parents and children. With his newer son still without a passport, having been born in Dubai while he was away, and his older son studying in a school in Dubai, Durov yearns to reconnect with his family.
Sowing Seeds of Simplicity: From Moscow Magnate to Farmhand
Durov's parentage involves a bit of a labyrinth, with six children born to three different women. Five were born via natural conception, while the other was a result of Durov's anonymous sperm donation to a friend fifteen years ago. Surprisingly, Durov reveals that more than 100 children in twelve countries were conceived using his biological material through the sperm bank.
His former wife, Diana Bondarenko, gave birth to two of Durov's children, Alina and Mikhail, while 44-year-old Irina Bolgar announced her motherhood to three more of Durov's children - Lei, Daniel, and David in 2024. Another child was reportedly born to 25-year-old Hungarian model Diana Bako; however, Bako and Durov have yet to confirm their connection publicly.
Furthermore, Durov's current partner, Julia Vavilova, was pregnant at the time of her arrest in France. Unfortunately, juggling legal troubles and pregnancy proved too much for Vavilova, resulting in the loss of their unborn child due to stress.
Preparing the Next Generation: A Legacy of Equality
Rumors of Pavel's wealth whirl through rumor mills, and in response, the telecommunications titan revealed he has penned a will. He has made the staggering decision to withhold his vast fortune from his children for thirty years. He asserts, "I want them to live like ordinary people, to create their own lives, learn to trust themselves, and be able to create, not depend on a bank account."
Andrei Levin, a legal expert, explains, "If Durov's biological offspring has someone else's name on their birth certificate, for example, Ivanov Ivan, who officially registered as the father, then that child would not be able to claim Durov's inheritance." However, the will would specifically designate Durov's biological children as heirs, although their claims must be proven and submitted before the stipulated time frame.
The Spirit of Simplicity: A Man without Complexities
Declaring himself an apolitical individual, Durov champions the pursuit of freedom above all. With a string of meetings with world leaders over the past three years, Durov has been both criticized and praised for his defiance.
One such instance occurred when French intelligence asked Durov to delete channels supporting a conservative candidate during the Romanian elections. Durov unequivocally refused, stating, "I'd rather die than act against my values and betray my users." Despite the potential consequences, Durov has consistently maintained his principled stance.
Embracing an ascetic lifestyle, Durov boasts of living simply and avoiding vices. He performs 300 daily squats, abstains from coffee, sugar, and alcohol, and prefers icy waters. He disfavors phone dependency, preferring peace and solitude to constant connection. While he occasionally rents residences, yachts, and airplanes, Durov insists they serve as distractions from his primary mission: building Telegram.
As of now, Durov's judicial restrictions have eased slightly, allowing him limited travel privileges for up to fourteen consecutive days, permitting visits to Dubai beginning July 10th. However, he remains under careful scrutiny, waiting for his day in court.
In the midst of his legal battles, Pavel Durov finds solace in championing free speech and standing against the establishment, while also expressing his concerns about the impact on his family. He envisions a simple life for his children, choosing to withhold his wealth from them for three decades, firmly believing they should create their own lives and learn self-reliance. Embracing a strict lifestyle, Durov also expresses his stance on politics, refusing to be politically affiliated but rather upholding the pursuit of freedom above all else.
