Pavel Durov & the Serial-Donor Debate 2025 –
When One Sperm Donation Means 50, 100, or 1,000 Children

Author photo
Zappelphilipp Marx•
Collage of newspaper articles about sperm donors with extremely many children

In June 2025, Telegram founder Pavel Durov stunned the public when he revealed he has already fathered more than 100 children—six within committed relationships, but most through sperm donations in a dozen countries. He promised every one of his offspring an equal share of his multibillion-dollar fortune.

Durov has become the symbol of a new generation of serial donors—men who bring far more than 50 children into the world. Private donations often escape government oversight; borders and registration requirements differ widely from country to country. The following profiles show why the issue is hotter than ever in 2025 and which legal gray areas urgently need to be closed.

Pavel Durov – Tech billionaire with more than 100 children

According to interviews with the New York Post and Le Point, Durov has been donating sperm since 2009 “to spread talent.” He plans to divide his roughly $17 billion fortune equally among all descendants—but only 30 years after his death. (Source)

Jonathan Jacob Meijer – “The Man with 1,000 Children”

The Guardian reports that the Dutch musician fathered between 550 and more than 1,000 children. In 2023 a court banned him from further donations; Netflix dramatized the scandal in The Man with 1000 Kids. (Source)

Ari Nagel – “The Sperminator” (USA, 165 children)

The New York math professor welcomed his 165th child in 2024 and announced plans to “retire from donating” at age 50. (Source)

Kyle Gordy – World tour to the 100-child mark

Gordy, the self-styled “CEO of Sperm Donating,” counts 87 confirmed births and is touring Japan, Ireland, and South Korea in 2025 to reach an even 100. (Source)

Robert Charles Albon – aka “Joe Donor” (over 180 children)

A 2025 ruling by Britain’s High Court revealed that Albon has fathered more than 180 children. The court explicitly warned women about unregulated private donations. (Source)

Clive Jones – 129 children delivered from a van

The retired teacher from Nottingham delivers samples by van to recipients; 129 children are officially confirmed. (Source)

Anthony Greenfield – 64 children via Kenyan bank

The U.S. donor handed more than 500 samples to a Kenyan sperm bank in 2024, which plans hundreds more pregnancies each year. (Source)

Dr. Donald Cline – Clinic scandal in Indiana (at least 94 children)

In the 1970s and ’80s, Cline secretly inseminated patients with his own sperm; DNA tests have identified at least 94 children. Netflix tells the story in Our Father. (Source)

Bertold Wiesner – Historical serial donor (over 600 children)

DNA analyses show that the Viennese physiologist fathered up to 600 children between the 1940s and 1960s by using his own sperm in his London clinic. (Source)

Risks & policy gaps

Genetic risks — A 2025 case involving a TP53 mutation showed how a single donor sample affected at least 67 children, ten of whom have already developed cancer.

Inconsistent caps — The U.K. limits one donor to ten families, Denmark to twelve; many countries offer only guidelines. An EU ministers’ initiative is currently debating a Europe-wide 25-family cap.

Private markets — Facebook groups, courier shipments, and international sperm banks bypass national registries; half-siblings risk accidental incest, and mandatory medical testing is often skipped.

Sperm donation with RattleStork – a flexible alternative

RattleStork connects intended parents with verified sperm donors. Singles and couples can plan home inseminations autonomously, discreetly, and affordably—without clinic waitlists or hidden fees.

RattleStork – the sperm donation app
Figure: RattleStork – the sperm donation apps

Conclusion

From Pavel Durov’s pro-natalist billion-dollar plans to Netflix documentaries about serial donors, these cases illustrate how quickly unregulated sperm donation can breach ethical and medical limits. Unified registries, clear caps, and transparent platforms like RattleStork are key components for making family planning safe, fair, and sustainable.

Disclaimer: Content on RattleStork is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute medical, legal, or other professional advice; no specific outcome is guaranteed. Use of this information is at your own risk. See our full Disclaimer.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

A serial donor is a sperm donor who donates well beyond the typical clinical limits—often fathering 50, 100, or even over 1,000 children. Donations may occur at multiple clinics or privately across states, bypassing centralized tracking.

The FDA regulates safety (screening, quarantine, labeling) but does not set numerical limits. The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) recommends no more than 25 births per donor and no more than 25 families to minimize inadvertent half-sibling risks.

ASRM suggests donors should father no more than 25 births and be used by no more than 25 families. These are professional guidelines—not enforceable law—but most accredited U.S. clinics follow them.

A high number of offspring raises the chance of unintentional incest among half-siblings who don’t know each other. A single genetic mutation—like a TP53 mutation—can then affect dozens of the donor’s children.

Private donation is arranged directly between donor and recipient (often online) with no mandatory testing or registry. Clinic-based donation is FDA-regulated: donors undergo health screening, quarantine, genetic/counseling tests, and are recorded in a clinic registry.

At minimum: a recent sperm analysis, HIV/Hepatitis panel, CMV status, genetic carrier screening (e.g., CFTR, SMA), plus blood type and Rh factor. Recipients should review full lab reports before proceeding.

The RattleStork app verifies donors via ID, health documentation, and video interview. Recipients can then order discreet courier kits, track cycle timing, and perform home inseminations without clinic waitlists. The app also generates legal donor agreements.

While there’s no federal “right to know” law, many states (e.g., California, New York) are enacting registries to allow donor-conceived individuals access to identifying information after age 18. Recipients should check their state’s statutes.

Typical costs range from $800–$1,200 per IUI cycle (including processing) and $5,000–$8,000 per IVF cycle with donor sperm. Private donations may seem cheaper but carry unregulated risks.

The FDA prohibits direct payment for human gametes. Clinics typically provide a stipend for time and travel (around $100–$200 per donation). Any commercial compensation beyond a modest stipend may violate federal guidelines.

Yes. Most U.S. fertility clinics offer cryopreservation. You can store multiple vials for future use, ensuring genetic full-sibling relationships without repeated donor visits.

Accredited clinics will suspend use of remaining vials and report to ASRM. In private cases, enforcement is minimal, but recipients may pursue injunctions or claims if local laws are violated.

Through consumer DNA databases (e.g., 23andMe, AncestryDNA), official state registries where available, or donor-sibling networks like the Donor Sibling Registry. Many fertility apps (including RattleStork) now offer built-in sibling-matching features.

When using a licensed clinic and proper legal agreements, donors waive all parental, custody, and support rights. They also have no automatic right to contact—unless mutually agreed in a separate arrangement.

A sperm analysis measures count, motility, and morphology. Meeting WHO reference values is crucial for IUI eligibility; if values fall below, clinics often recommend IVF or ICSI. A recent, normal analysis significantly improves pregnancy outcomes.