Bill Gates, formerly the wealthiest individual globally, has contributed $8 billion to a foundation owned by his former spouse, Melinda.
The co-founder of Microsoft made a generous donation of $7.88 billion to Melinda French Gates’ Pivotal Philanthropies Foundation in 2024, five years following their separation, as reported by The New York Times.
Recent tax filings reveal this substantial amount as one of the most significant public donations ever documented, shedding light on the financial aspects of the couple’s high-profile split in 2021.
Following her departure from The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in May 2024, Melinda proposed that her ex-husband donate $12.5 billion to a new charitable foundation she planned to establish.
A spokesperson for Pivotal confirmed to the Times that the financial agreement has been completed, with the nearly $8 billion donation being a part of it.
By the conclusion of 2023, Pivotal Philanthropies Foundation had assets totaling $604 million.
The couple ended their 27-year marriage in 2021, resulting in what is considered the most costly divorce settlement in history, with Melinda reportedly receiving $76 billion in assets.
Subsequently, revelations emerged about Bill Gates’ involvement with a Microsoft employee, which was brought to light by the woman’s letter to the company’s board of directors in 2019, disclosing details of their relationship that began in 2000.
Investigations into the claims led the board to deem the relationship “inappropriate,” as reported by the Wall Street Journal during that period.
In 2020, Gates abruptly resigned from the board, even as the investigation continued without a formal resolution.
Several reports surfaced alleging Gates’ misconduct towards employees at Microsoft and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which he managed alongside his former partner.
Additionally, it was reported that Gates had interactions with Jeffrey Epstein after their initial meeting in 2011. Gates, however, clarified to PBS NewsHour that their meetings were primarily centered on philanthropy and acknowledged it as a “mistake” he regrets.
At 67 years old, Mr. Gates, co-founder of the tech giant Microsoft, remains a significant shareholder in the company and one of the wealthiest individuals globally.