Legendary investor Warren Buffett has ended his long-standing philanthropic partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, bringing to a close nearly two decades of support following recent revelations surrounding Bill Gates’ past interactions with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Buffett announced that he will donate approximately $6 billion worth of Berkshire Hathaway shares as part of his annual mid-year charitable giving. However, unlike previous years, the donation will be distributed exclusively among four family-run foundations managed by his children—Susie Buffett, Howard Buffett and Peter Buffett—with no allocation to the Gates Foundation.
The decision marks a significant shift in Buffett’s charitable strategy. Since 2006, the Berkshire Hathaway chairman had donated more than $47 billion worth of company stock to the Gates Foundation, making him one of its largest contributors. During the same period, he donated more than $17 billion to his family’s charitable foundations.
In a statement, the 95-year-old investor confirmed that his remaining Berkshire Hathaway shares would ultimately be distributed among the four family foundations by December 31, 2034, reaffirming his commitment to family-led philanthropy.
While Buffett did not directly explain his decision in the announcement, the move comes months after the U.S. Department of Justice released documents related to Jeffrey Epstein that included details of Bill Gates’ past meetings and communications with the financier.
Bill Gates has not been accused of any crime. He has repeatedly stated that his meetings with Epstein, which took place between 2011 and 2014, were focused solely on potential philanthropic initiatives that ultimately produced no meaningful outcomes. Gates has also publicly expressed regret over maintaining any relationship with Epstein and has denied witnessing any criminal conduct or associating with Epstein’s victims.
The Gates Foundation responded by expressing gratitude for Buffett’s decades of support, stating that the organisation remains financially strong due to Bill Gates’ $200 billion commitment and remains on track to continue its global health and development work until its planned closure in 2045.
Buffett and Gates had shared a close friendship for many years and frequently appeared together during Berkshire Hathaway’s annual shareholder meetings in Omaha. However, Buffett revealed earlier this year that the two had not spoken since the release of the Epstein-related documents.
The latest donation includes 9 million Berkshire Hathaway Class B shares to the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation and 1 million shares each to the Sherwood Foundation, the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, and the NoVo Foundation. These organisations support causes ranging from education and reproductive health to global food security, anti-human trafficking initiatives and the empowerment of women and Indigenous communities.
Buffett has gradually donated more than half of his Berkshire Hathaway holdings over the past two decades as part of his long-term pledge to give away the vast majority of his wealth.
The decision represents one of the most significant developments in modern philanthropy, ending one of the world’s largest charitable partnerships while reinforcing Buffett’s intention to place future philanthropic responsibility in the hands of his family foundations.
Disclaimer: This report has been editorially prepared using publicly available information. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, unintentional errors or omissions may occur. Readers are encouraged to verify important information through official sources.
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