Bill Gates quietly sent nearly $8 billion to the private foundation of his ex-wife, Melinda French Gates, in what amounts to one of the largest divorce-related payouts ever disclosed.
The $7.88 billion donation was made in 2024 to the Pivotal Philanthropies Foundation, a relatively new nonprofit launched by French Gates, according to a newly released tax filing reviewed by The New York Times’ DealBook.
The filing marks the first time concrete financial terms of the Gateses’ 2021 divorce have been made public following their decision to formally separate their philanthropic work in 2024.
French Gates had said when she stepped down as co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation that she would have an additional $12.5 billion to commit to causes focused on women and families, as per the terms of the divorce settlement.
