Bill Gates, formerly the wealthiest individual globally, has donated $8 billion to a charity established by his former spouse, Melinda. The co-founder of Microsoft made a contribution of $7.88 billion to Melinda French Gates’ Pivotal Philanthropies Foundation in 2024, following their separation five years earlier as reported by The New York Times. Recent tax filings reveal that this donation, one of the most substantial public contributions to date, sheds light on the financial aspects of the couple’s high-profile split in 2021.
In May 2024, Melinda departed from The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and proposed that her ex-husband allocate $12.5 billion to a new charitable foundation she planned to establish. A representative from Pivotal confirmed to the Times that the financial agreement has been completed, with the nearly $8 billion donation being a part of the settlement. As of the end of 2023, Pivotal Philanthropies Foundation held assets totaling $604 million.
The separation of the couple in 2021, after 27 years of marriage, resulted in what is regarded as the most expensive divorce settlement in history, with Melinda reportedly receiving $76 billion in assets. Subsequently, revelations surfaced about Bill Gates’ involvement with a Microsoft employee, which was disclosed months later. The employee had informed the company’s board of directors in 2019 about their relationship that commenced in 2000, urging Melinda to acknowledge it. Following an investigation, the board deemed the relationship as “inappropriate.”
In 2020, amidst the ongoing investigation and before a formal decision was reached, Gates resigned from the board. Additionally, reports emerged alleging Gates’ inappropriate behavior towards employees at Microsoft and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Another report suggested Gates had connections with Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender, meeting him in 2011. Gates, however, clarified that their interactions were limited to discussions on philanthropy and expressed regret over the association.
At 67 years old, Bill Gates, the co-founder of the tech giant Microsoft, continues to be a substantial shareholder in the company and remains among the wealthiest individuals globally.