Pavel Durov: Telegram Founder's Wealth, Legal Issues

Pavel Durov is the founder and owner of the encrypted messaging app Telegram, which serves 1 billion users and is valued at $30 billion. Born in St. Petersburg, Durov previously founded the Russian social network Vkontakte before being forced to leave Russia in 2014 following conflicts with the Kremlin. He currently resides in Dubai, where Telegram is based, and holds citizenship in both the United Arab Emirates and France.

In 2024, Durov faced legal trouble in France, where he was arrested and investigated regarding illegal activities conducted on the platform. Despite these challenges, Telegram turned its first profit in 2024, generating over $1 billion in revenue. Durov is also known for his controversial views on technology, his support for pronatalism, and his strict privacy principles, which he has refused to compromise despite government pressure.

Pavel Durov was born in St. Petersburg in Soviet Russia. He is the brother of Nikolai Durov, with whom he co-founded the encrypted messaging service Telegram in 2013. According to a biography on the Digital-Life-Design Conference website, the brothers were born into a family of intellectuals. Durov spoke at the Digital-Life-Design Conference in January 2012.

Before Telegram, Durov founded the Russian social network Vkontakte in 2006. He became known as Russia's "biggest celebrity entrepreneur" after selling a 12% stake of the network for $300 million in 2015. However, his time at Vkontakte ended amid political conflict. Durov refused the Kremlin's demands to access Vkontakte data on Ukrainian protest leaders. He stated he was fired in April 2014 as state-backed entities sought to control the network. The Mail.Ru group, owned by oligarch Alisher Usmanov, bought the network later that year for $1.47 billion.

Following his dismissal, Durov was forced to leave Moscow in 2014 after a SWAT team appeared at his home. He utilized the proceeds from selling his Vkontakte shares—over $200 million—to fund the creation of Telegram.

Telegram has grown into a major global platform, reaching 1 billion users in March 2025. According to Forbes, Durov's net worth is approximately $17.1 billion, with much of his fortune derived from the messaging app, which is valued at $30 billion. In 2024, Telegram marked its first profitable year, ending with more than $1 billion in revenue and $500 million in cash reserves.

The company has raised approximately $2.4 billion in debt financing through bond offerings between 2021 and 2024. Durov noted that Telegram paid a "meaningful share" of its $2 billion debt by taking advantage of favorable bond prices. Unlike many tech companies, Telegram has no external shareholders. Durov told French magazine Le Point, "I hold 100 % of the company. There are no external shareholders and thus no interference."

Durov has also launched a cryptocurrency wallet called Fragment in 2022. He stated the wallet took only five weeks and five people to build. Within a month of its launch, approximately $50 million worth of usernames were purchased on the platform.

Legal issues have followed Durov, particularly in France. In August 2024, French authorities arrested Durov near Paris at Le Bourget airport. An arrest warrant cited Telegram's use for money laundering, drug trafficking, and crimes against minors. Durov has faced legal trouble in France, where authorities have held him responsible for illegal activities on Telegram. Following the arrest, French authorities issued a travel ban, which was later eased in July 2025 and fully lifted in November 2025 after Durov cooperated with the investigation.

Durov has consistently defended Telegram's security and refusal to moderate content. He stated, "We cannot make messaging technology secure for everybody except terrorists. It's either secure or not secure." Regarding the arrest, Durov wrote on Telegram: "Using laws from the pre-smartphone era to charge a CEO with crimes committed by third parties on the platform he manages is a misguided approach."

In September 2024, Durov announced changes to Telegram's user data policies. He stated that IP addresses and phone numbers of those who violate rules would be disclosed to authorities in response to valid legal requests. He emphasized that Telegram Search is meant for finding friends, not promoting illegal goods.

Durov currently lives in Dubai, where Telegram's operations are based. He moved there in 2017, citing the lack of personal income tax as a reason for the relocation. He obtained citizenship in the United Arab Emirates in February 2021 and was naturalized as a French citizen in August 2021.

Durov has a complex personal life involving multiple children. He has stated he is officially the father of six children with three different partners. However, he also made sperm donations, resulting in him fathering "over 100 biological kids" in a dozen countries. Regarding inheritance, Durov plans to restrict his children's access to his fortune for 30 years. He told Le Point, "I want them to live like normal people, to build themselves up alone."

His personal life has also included controversy. His former partner, Irina Bolgar, accused him of child abuse and psychological abuse, allegations his representatives dismissed. Durov has also been critical of Silicon Valley, calling the United States a "police state" and citing a lack of cultural life. Regarding the future of work, Durov believes AI will be "brutal" for established professionals but will ultimately create new opportunities.