Warren Buffett Halts Gates Foundation Donations After Two Decades

The 95-year-old billionaire investor announced Tuesday he would donate about $6 billion in Berkshire Hathaway stock to four family-run charities overseen by his children Susie, Howard and Peter Buffett. The donation consists of 12 million class B shares.

Buffett’s announcement made no mention of the Gates Foundation, which had been a major recipient of his contributions since 2006. Over that period, the foundation received more than $47 billion in Berkshire Hathaway shares.

The decision follows renewed scrutiny of Bill Gates’s past interactions with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The U.S. Department of Justice released additional files related to Epstein earlier this year, drawing public attention to Gates’s ties, though Gates has not been accused of wrongdoing.

Buffett and Gates were close friends for many years. In a March interview with CNBC, Buffett said they had not spoken since the Epstein files were released, adding, “I don’t want to be in a position where I know things… to be called as a witness.”

Buffett reaffirmed his philanthropic commitment, stating all his remaining shares will be donated to the four foundations by December 31, 2034. After his death, his children will oversee a charitable trust containing about 99.5% of his remaining wealth.