Tech billionaire Pavel Durov, founder of the messaging app Telegram, recently made headlines — not for his innovations, but for his estate plan. According to reports, Durov intends to leave his entire fortune to 100 plus children, most of whom he may never even meet. This article will address estate planning and what happens with unknown heirs.
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In his early years, Durov donated sperm to a fertility clinic.
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Over 100 children are believed to have been born from those donations.
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He also has six children with romantic partners.
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Durov’s plan is to treat all of his biological children equally — whether or not he knows them personally.
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Some of the children may not even be born yet, as the clinic retains stored sperm.
While Durov’s plan may sound extreme, it raises an important and increasingly relevant legal question: What happens in California when someone has children they don’t know about — and those children aren’t mentioned in their will or trust?
A recent case, Estate of Williams, offers insight into how California courts handle these situations.
The Williams Case: When a Child Is Left Out
In Estate of Williams, Benjamin C. Williams fathered seven children — five born outside his marriage and two within it. In 1999, he created a trust naming only the two children from his marriage as beneficiaries. One excluded child, Carla Montgomery, later discovered her half-siblings and petitioned for a share of the trust as an “omitted child.”
Montgomery argued that her father left her out because he didn’t know she existed when the trust was created. The Court of Appeal disagreed. It found that:
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Montgomery failed to prove that her father omitted her solely because he was unaware of her birth.
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Williams had also excluded four other children he did know about.
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That pattern showed an intent to benefit only the two children of his marriage.
Under Probate Code § 21622, a pre-existing child must prove both that the parent was unaware of the child’s birth and that the omission occurred solely for that reason. Because Williams excluded multiple known children, the court inferred a deliberate choice — not an accident or oversight.
California Law on Omitted Children
California law allows a child to inherit from a parent’s estate if the child was unintentionally omitted — but the rules are narrow. The key statutes are found in California Probate Code §§ 21620–21623.
Here’s what those laws provide:
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A child born before the execution of a will or trust is presumed to be intentionally omitted unless the child can prove otherwise.
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To claim a share, the child must show that the omission occurred solely because the parent was unaware of the child’s birth.
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Children born after the estate plan may have a stronger argument, particularly if the parent failed to update their documents after learning of the child’s existence.
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A disinheritance clause — stating that any unnamed children are intentionally excluded — strengthens the case for exclusion, but courts also consider the overall pattern of inclusion and omission.
Why This Matters in a Changing World
Cases like Estate of Williams and stories like Durov’s show how estate planning is evolving alongside reproductive technology and modern family structures.
If there’s any possibility that you:
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have children from past relationships or prior donations,
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may have biological children you don’t have a relationship with,
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or have stored genetic material that could be used in the future,
then it’s crucial that your estate plan addresses these realities.
Some key tips:
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Be specific. Define “children” in your documents — are you including only legally recognized children, or all biological offspring?
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Use disinheritance clauses thoughtfully. If there are people you intend to exclude, say so clearly.
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Consider using a trust. Trusts offer more flexibility and precision than wills.
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Update your plan as life changes. New relationships, births, or discoveries about past paternity should prompt a review.
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Work with an attorney. Boilerplate estate plans may not anticipate the complexities of your family situation.
Planning for the Unexpected
Estate of Williams underscores the risks of unclear estate planning, while Pavel Durov’s plan illustrates the benefits of clarity and intent. Proper estate planning can set the course you want for what happens when you have unknown heirs. Whether your situation resembles Williams’s or Durov’s — or something in between — an experienced estate planning attorney can help ensure your legacy is protected and your wishes are honored.
To start creating or updating your estate plan, contact the Law Offices of David Knecht today at (707) 451-4502.
