By Sumaila Zaman

Copyright india

Dubai is home to some of the richest billionaires in the world and is known for its luxury. Interestingly the richest person in Dubai is not a sheikh or a prince but a technology entrepreneur of Russian origin. According to Forbes in 2021 the UAE hosts 11 billionaires more than any other Middle East country. As of 29 September 2025 Pavels net worth in real-time is $17.1 billion (Rs 151676 crore). According to Forbes he ranked 118th among the richest people in the world.
Pavel is the founder of Telegram the well-known messaging app. However he has a controversial path. Pavel Durov is a tech entrepreneur originally from Russia and currently the wealthiest individual in Dubai with an impressive net worth of $17.1 billion. He was the co-founder of the largest social network in Russia VKontakte (VK.com) and later founded Telegram an encrypted messaging app as the primary source for his wealth.
When Durov refused the requests of Russian intelligence agencies he was forced to leave the country. He moved to Dubai in 2017 attracted by friendly tax policies and the style of life and is currently a citizen in the UAE.
Durov left Russia after refusing to cooperate with the secret service and provide encrypted data of his first social networks users. Telegram was banned in Russia from 2018 to 2021. He became a French citizen in 2021 but lives in Dubai reads a statement on his bio on Forbes.
Durov recently accused French intelligence agencies of pressuring Moldovan Telegram channels to censor information during Moldova’s elections. He accused agencies on the social media platform X. The French foreign ministry denies any such allegations made by Durov. Durov is currently under judicial supervision in France as he was arrested in 2024 for organized crime that is linked to the use of Telegram.
Pavel Durov was born in 1984 in Saint Petersburg. He graduated from Saint Petersburg State University with a degree in Philology. When he was 22 years old he co-founded VKontakte (VK.com) which became Russias largest social network. Under Durovs leadership the service grew to more than 100 million users.
His innovative thinking and keen business sense allowed him to earn the nickname Russias Zuckerberg with Forbes citing comparisons to Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg. Nonetheless Durov’s life changed dramatically when he parried requests to work with Moscow’s intelligence services. Durov rejected requests to share user data. He ended up selling his stake in VK and leaving Russia.
Durov left Russia after refusing to cooperate with the secret service and provide encrypted data of his first social networks users. Telegram was banned in Russia from 2018 to 2021 reads his bio on Forbes.
Durov has frequently garnered media attention for living life on his own terms. According to the news agency Reuters he has five children with two former girlfriends and has claimed to have fathered almost 100 children through sperm donation.
Most recently Durov attracted international attention again when he accused French intelligence agencies of pressuring him to censor Moldovan Telegram channels elections. Durov shared on X that officials contacted him through intermediaries and asked him to censor political voices and that he would be treated favorably in his ongoing French court case.
The French Foreign Ministry denied Durovs allegations and he has a record of making claims during electoral periods. These claims are made against the backdrop of Durov being placed under judicial supervision in France a situation that affects him since his 2024 arrest in a French airport on suspicion of engaging in organized crime related to his use of Telegram. Durov denies all allegations.