Telegram founder says he has fathered more than 100 children

The multi-billionaire founder of instant messaging app Telegram, Pavel Durov, says he has fathered more than 100 children.

“The clinic, where I started donating sperm 15 years ago to help a friend, told me that more than 100 babies had been conceived this way in 12 countries,” Mr Durov told French political magazine Le Point.

Mr Durov, who says he is the “official father” of six other children with three different partners, added that all of his offspring will share his estimated $13.9bn (£10.3bn) fortune.

He also reiterated that he denies any wrongdoing in connection with serious criminal charges he faces in France.

“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,” Mr Durov said.

But the self-exiled Russian technology tycoon told the magazine that none of his children would have access to their inheritance for 30 years.

“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,” he said.

The 40-year-old said he had written a will now because his job “involves risks – defending freedoms earns you many enemies, including within powerful states”.

His app, Telegram, known for its focus on privacy and encrypted messaging, has more than a billion monthly active users.

Mr Durov also addressed criminal charges he faces in France, where he was arrested last year after being accused of failing to properly moderate the app to reduce criminality.

He has denied failing to cooperate with law enforcement over drug trafficking, child sexual abuse content and fraud. Telegram has previously denied having insufficient moderation.

In the Le Point interview he described the charges as “totally absurd”.

“Just because criminals use our messaging service among many others doesn’t make those who run it criminals,” he added.