Billionaire investor Warren Buffett has ended his long-running donations to the Gates Foundation, bringing to a close a philanthropic partnership that lasted nearly two decades. The move follows public scrutiny surrounding interactions between Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, although Buffett has not publicly linked his decision to those reports.
Instead, Buffett announced on Tuesday that he will donate approximately $6 billion worth of Berkshire Hathaway stock as part of his annual charitable giving.
The donation consists of 12 million Class B shares, which will be distributed among four family foundations overseen by his daughter, Susie Buffett, and his sons, Howard and Peter Buffett.
Notably, the latest donation does not include the Gates Foundation, despite it receiving more than $47 billion in Berkshire Hathaway shares since Buffett made his lifetime charitable pledge in 2006. His annual donation last year exceeded $4.5 billion.
In a statement, the 95-year-old investor reaffirmed his commitment to philanthropy, saying that while the timing of mortality remains uncertain, all of his remaining Berkshire Hathaway shares will be donated to the four family foundations by December 31, 2034.
Buffett has previously disclosed that following his death, his children will oversee a charitable trust expected to hold roughly 99.5% of his remaining wealth, ensuring that the vast majority of his fortune continues to support philanthropic causes.
