Telegram CEO Pavel Durov tells story of how he fathered over 100 children
Pavel Durov, the 39-year-old CEO of Telegram Messenger, has made a remarkable revelation. In a recent post, he shared that he has fathered over 100 biological children worldwide, despite never being married.
Durov recounted how a friend’s request 15 years ago led to this unexpected journey. The friend and his wife, struggling with fertility issues, asked Durov to donate sperm at a clinic. Initially hesitant, Durov was persuaded by the clinic’s director, who emphasized the importance of helping couples in need.
“I was just told that I have over 100 biological kids. How is this possible for a guy who has never been married and prefers to live alone?” Durov exclaimed.
He continued, “Fifteen years ago, a friend approached me with a weird request… I laughed my ass off before realizing he was dead serious.”
Durov’s donations have helped over 100 couples in 12 countries conceive children. Even after stopping donations, his frozen sperm remains available for families seeking to have children.
Durov is now considering open-sourcing his DNA to allow his biological children to find him if they wish. While acknowledging potential risks, he expressed pride in his contributions, stating, “The shortage of healthy sperm has become an increasingly serious issue worldwide, and I’m proud that I did my part to help alleviate it.”
Durov encourages other healthy men to consider donating sperm to support families struggling with infertility. As a successful entrepreneur, he was recognized as the richest expatriate in the UAE by Forbes in 2022 and named the most powerful entrepreneur in Dubai by Arabian Business in February 2023.
