Buffett leaves Gates Foundation following Epstein revelations
Warren Buffett has omitted the Gates Foundation from his most recent annual charitable contributions, concluding its involvement in a philanthropic strategy it had participated in for almost twenty years. The chairman of Berkshire Hathaway announced that his most recent annual charitable contribution, estimated at approximately $6 billion in Berkshire Hathaway shares, will be allocated entirely to four foundations associated with his family. For the first time since 2006, the Gates Foundation has been excluded from his annual gifts. The decision arises in the context of intensified examination of Bill Gates’ previous interactions with Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender. Gates has characterised those meetings as “a huge mistake” and has refuted any involvement in Epstein’s crimes or awareness of his criminal activities. “Of course, mortality is unpredictable, but my remaining shares will be donated to the four foundations one way or the other by December 31, 2034,” Buffett said in a statement.
The move signifies a significant transformation in one of the most notable philanthropic collaborations in contemporary history. Since 2006, Buffett has donated over $47 billion to the Gates Foundation, aiding in the financing of programs centred on global health, infectious diseases, poverty alleviation, and education. Buffett indicated that his remaining shares in Berkshire Hathaway would eventually be allocated to the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, along with three foundations managed by his offspring. Gates and Buffett maintained a longstanding friendship, frequently appearing together at Berkshire Hathaway’s annual shareholder meetings held in Omaha, Nebraska. Buffett informed earlier that he had not communicated with Gates for several months, prior to the release of the Epstein files.
In 2025, Buffett made a substantial contribution exceeding $4.5 billion to the Gates Foundation, alongside approximately $2.8 billion directed towards his family’s charitable foundations. The Gates Foundation expressed gratitude towards Buffett for his enduring support following his recent decision. “The Gates Foundation is grateful to Warren Buffett for his decades of support for our work,” the foundation said in a statement. Citing Bill Gates’ $200 billion commitment, the foundation stated it maintained a “position of financial strength” to finance its operations until its anticipated closure in 2045. Files released by the US Department of Justice included photographs of Gates with Epstein and emails between Epstein and Gates Foundation staff, renewing scrutiny of their past interactions. Epstein died by suicide in a Manhattan jail in August 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges.
Gates informed US lawmakers that his initial encounter with Epstein occurred in 2011, which was three years subsequent to Epstein’s guilty plea for soliciting a minor for prostitution. He stated that their meetings pertained to philanthropic projects that ultimately did not come to fruition. Gates has stated that the relationship concluded in 2014 and has claimed that Epstein subsequently sought to extort him regarding an extramarital affair. Gates has consistently characterised his encounter with Epstein as “a huge mistake.” He has refuted any connection to Epstein’s offences, interactions with his victims, or awareness of his illicit activities. Source reported last month that Buffett had been awaiting a review by law firm WilmerHale into the Gates Foundation’s historical links to Epstein before deciding whether to continue his donations, according to Reuters. The law firm has yet to provide confirmation regarding the review.
