Enterprise reporter, BBC Information
Getty PhotographsThe founding father of on the spot messaging app Telegram, Pavel Durov, says the greater than 100 kids he has fathered will share his estimated $13.9bn (£10.3bn) fortune.
“They’re all my kids and can all have the identical rights! I do not need them to tear one another aside after my dying,” Mr Durov told French political magazine Le Point.
Mr Durov claimed he’s the “official father” of six kids with three completely different companions, however the clinic “the place I began donating sperm fifteen years in the past to assist a good friend, instructed me that greater than 100 infants had been conceived this fashion in 12 international locations.”
He additionally reiterated that he denies any wrongdoing in reference to serious criminal charges he faces in France.
The self-exiled Russian expertise tycoon additionally instructed the journal that his kids wouldn’t have entry to their inheritance for 30 years.
“I need them to dwell like regular individuals, to construct themselves up alone, to be taught to belief themselves, to have the ability to create, to not be depending on a checking account,” he stated.
The BBC has approached Mr Durov for remark.
The 40-year-old stated he had written a will now as a result of his job “entails dangers – defending freedoms earns you a lot enemies, together with inside highly effective states”.
His app, Telegram, recognized for its concentrate on privateness and encrypted messaging, has greater than a billion month-to-month energetic customers.
Mr Durov additionally addressed legal costs he faces in France, the place he was arrested final yr after being accused of failing to correctly average the app to cut back criminality.
He has denied failing to cooperate with legislation enforcement over drug trafficking, little one sexual abuse content material and fraud. Telegram has beforehand denied having inadequate moderation.
Within the Le Level interview he described the costs as “completely absurd”.
“Simply because criminals use our messaging service amongst many others does not make those that run it criminals,” he added.
Russian-born Mr Durov now lives in Dubai, the place Telegram is predicated. He holds twin citizenship of France and the United Arab Emirates.
The founding father of VKontakte said in 2014 that he had been fired from the Russian social community after refusing requests from the Kremlin to censor posts.
He based Telegram in 2013, and the app stays widespread in Russia.
Telegram permits teams of as much as 200,000 members, which critics have argued makes it simpler for misinformation to unfold, and for customers to share conspiracist, neo-Nazi, paedophilic, or terror-related content material.
Within the UK, the app was scrutinised for internet hosting far-right channels that have been instrumental in organising the violent dysfunction in English cities final summer time.
Telegram did take away some teams, however general its system of moderating extremist and unlawful content material is considerably weaker than that of different social media corporations and messenger apps, based on cybersecurity consultants.
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