In a quiet but monumental move, Bill Gates transferred nearly $8 billion to the private foundation of his ex-wife, Melinda French Gates, marking one of the largest divorce-related payouts ever publicly disclosed.
The $7.88 billion donation was made in 2024 to the Pivotal Philanthropies Foundation, a relatively new nonprofit Melinda launched, according to a tax filing reviewed by The New York Times’ DealBook.
This record-breaking contribution represents a key element of the 2021 divorce settlement, which only recently revealed concrete financial details following their decision to formally separate their philanthropic efforts in 2024.
© fotopressWhen stepping down as co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, French Gates explained that she would receive billions to fund independent work focused on women and families.
The payout forms part of a broader $12.5 billion pledge that Bill Gates made for Melinda’s independent philanthropy. Roughly $7.88 billion went to Pivotal Philanthropies, while the remaining $4.6 billion is believed to have flowed to Pivotal Ventures, a limited liability company allowing her to conduct charitable grants and investments outside standard nonprofit disclosure rules.
© GettyImagesBefore this charitable transfer, the Gates divorce included a complex division of assets. Bill Gates moved billions in stock to Melinda through his private holding company, Cascade Investment. The couple also split real estate worth over $170 million, an art collection valued around $130 million, and a substantial block of Microsoft stock, leaving her with an estimated $25 billion in assets, according to Forbes.
Bill and Melinda Gates announced their split in May 2021, citing an inability to “grow together” after years of private strain and increasing public scrutiny of Bill’s conduct.
© Getty Images for Robin HoodFollowing the divorce, Melinda launched Pivotal Philanthropies in 2022 under her broader Pivotal organization, focusing on independent grantmaking, impact investing, and social progress initiatives for women and families.
© Todd WilliamsonWhile the Gates divorce ranks among the most expensive in history, it follows a precedent set by other tech founders and celebrities. The 2019 split between Amazon’s Jeff Bezos and MacKenzie Scott transferred roughly $38 billion in Amazon stock to Scott, highlighting the astronomical costs that can accompany high-profile separations.
At the height of their union, Bill and Melinda were among the world’s richest couples, sharing a joint fortune of $130 billion. Their separation not only reshaped their personal lives but also created one of the most influential charitable powerhouses through Melinda’s Pivotal initiatives.
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