Bill Gates, formerly the wealthiest individual globally, has contributed $8 billion to a charity associated with his former spouse, Melinda.
The co-founder of Microsoft donated $7.88 billion to Melinda French Gates’ Pivotal Philanthropies Foundation in 2024, following their split five years ago, as disclosed by The New York Times.
Recent tax filings reveal this substantial sum, marking one of the most significant public donations ever reported and shedding light on the financial aspects of the couple’s high-profile separation in 2021.
Melinda departed from The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in May 2024, proposing that her ex-husband allocate $12.5 billion to a new charitable foundation she planned to establish.
A spokesperson for Pivotal confirmed to the Times that this financial arrangement has been completed, with the nearly $8 billion donation being a key component.
By the end of 2023, the Pivotal Philanthropies Foundation had amassed $604 million.
The couple’s separation in 2021, following a 27-year marriage, initiated what is considered the most costly divorce settlement in history, with Melinda reportedly gaining $76 billion in assets.
Subsequently, revelations surfaced about Bill Gates’ involvement with a Microsoft employee, brought to attention by the woman’s correspondence with the company’s board of directors in 2019, detailing their relationship that commenced in 2000 and urging Melinda to acknowledge it.
Upon investigating the claims, the board deemed the relationship “inappropriate,” according to reports from the Wall Street Journal at that time.
In 2020, Gates abruptly resigned from the board, while inquiries were ongoing and a formal decision had not yet been reached.
Furthermore, reports suggested Gates had a pattern of making advances toward employees at Microsoft and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which he co-ran with his former spouse.
In a separate report, it was mentioned that Gates had a connection with Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender, starting from their initial meeting in 2011. Gates clarified that their interactions were primarily focused on philanthropy, acknowledging it as an error he regrets.
At 67 years old, Mr. Gates stands as the co-founder of the tech giant Microsoft, retaining a substantial stake in the company and maintaining his status as one of the wealthiest individuals globally.