Seattle, United States — American billionaire Bill Gates has made a record-breaking charitable donation of $7.88 billion to his ex-wife Melinda French Gates' Pivotal Philanthropies Foundation in 2024, according to newly released tax filings. This transfer, one of the largest public charitable contributions ever recorded, forms a significant portion of the financial arrangements stemming from the couple's high-profile 2021 divorce.
The donation was first detailed in a January 9, 2026, report by The New York Times' DealBook newsletter, based on a tax filing from the Pivotal Philanthropies Foundation. The contribution dramatically increased the foundation's assets from $604 million at the end of 2023 to approximately $7.4 billion in 2024 — a surge of more than 1,000%. A representative for Pivotal Philanthropies confirmed to multiple outlets that the $7.88 billion payment fulfills part of a broader $12.5 billion agreement Gates made to support Melinda's independent philanthropic work following her departure from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in May 2024.
The remaining balance of the $12.5 billion pledge — roughly $4.6 billion — may have been directed to other entities under Melinda's control, such as Pivotal Ventures, a limited liability company that does not require public tax disclosures. Sources indicate the full agreement has now been fulfilled.
Melinda French Gates established Pivotal Philanthropies Foundation in 2022, two years after the couple announced their separation in May 2021. The foundation focuses on advancing social progress for women and young people globally, including initiatives on women's empowerment, workplace equality, and mental health. Her exit from the joint Gates Foundation allowed her to pursue independent priorities, and the 2024 donation positions Pivotal Philanthropies as one of the world's largest private foundations.
The Gates' divorce, finalized after 27 years of marriage, is widely regarded as one of the most expensive in history. Melinda received approximately $76 billion in assets as part of the settlement. While the couple had emphasized an amicable split initially, subsequent reports highlighted underlying tensions, including Bill Gates' past relationships.
In May 2021, The Wall Street Journal revealed that Microsoft's board had investigated a decades-old "intimate relationship" Gates had with a female employee starting in 2000. The probe began in late 2019 after the employee raised concerns, and the board deemed the relationship "inappropriate." Gates resigned from the Microsoft board in March 2020 while the investigation was ongoing, before a final decision. A Microsoft spokesperson confirmed the matter but stated it was unrelated to his departure.
Additional reporting from The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times detailed other allegations of Gates pursuing romantic interests with women at Microsoft and the Gates Foundation, contributing to perceptions of a pattern of questionable behavior. These revelations emerged in the context of the divorce and public scrutiny.
Further complicating the narrative are Gates' documented ties to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. Reports from The New York Times in 2019 and subsequent coverage indicated Gates met Epstein multiple times starting in 2011 — after Epstein's 2008 conviction for sex crimes. Meetings occurred at Epstein's Manhattan townhouse, sometimes late into the night, and involved discussions about potential philanthropy. Gates has described these encounters as a "huge mistake," stating he sought connections for global health funding but ended the relationship when it proved unproductive. Melinda French Gates reportedly expressed discomfort with the association, which some sources link as a factor in the marital strain.
Gates has consistently minimized the Epstein connection, emphasizing it was not a friendship or business relationship. He has expressed regret, calling the interactions "foolish" in later interviews.
The 2024 donation underscores the ongoing philanthropic legacy of the Gateses, even post-divorce. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (now the Gates Foundation) remains the world's largest philanthropy, having disbursed billions in global health, education, and poverty alleviation. Melinda's new ventures through Pivotal continue this tradition with a focus on gender equity.
This development highlights how high-profile separations among the ultra-wealthy can reshape charitable landscapes. The Gates' arrangement ensures continued massive giving while allowing each to pursue distinct visions.
