Pavel Durov

About Pavel Durov

Pavel Durov is the founder and owner of messaging app Telegram, which has more than 1 billion monthly active users worldwide.

Telegram, which is free to use, competes with messaging apps like Facebook's WhatsApp.

Durov left Russia after refusing to cooperate with the secret service and provide encrypted data of his first social network's users. Telegram was banned in Russia from 2018 to 2021.

In 2026, Russia charged Durov with aiding in terrorism and put him on an international wanted list. He was accused of failing to remove certain channels on Telegram, which were allegedly being used as a conduit for Ukrainian forces to recruit Russians and promote acts of terrorism.

Durov became a French citizen in 2021 but lives in Dubai.

Durov, who has six children between three ex-girlfriends, claims to have donated sperm that fathered 100 children in 12 countries.