In a significant financial move, Bill Gates has transferred nearly $8 billion to Melinda French Gates as part of their divorce settlement, according to recent tax filings. This payout, amounting to $7.88 billion, was highlighted by The New York Times as potentially one of the largest charitable donations ever recorded.
The funds are categorized as a donation to French Gates’ Pivotal Philanthropies Foundation, which was established in 2022 following their divorce. Since its inception, the foundation has allocated over $540 million in charitable grants. French Gates previously announced her resignation from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in May 2024, as part of her divorce agreement, which also included $12.5 billion for her initiatives.
Reports suggest that an additional $4.6 billion from the settlement may still be forthcoming, with speculation regarding its allocation to either a charitable foundation or a private entity like Pivotal Ventures. Gates and French Gates, who ended their 27-year marriage in May 2021, remain prominent figures in philanthropy and have raised three children together.