Warren Buffett Gates Foundation ties appear to have been severed, as the billionaire investor has stopped donating to Bill Gates’ charitable foundation just weeks after the Microsoft co-founder publicly detailed his connections to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The decision marks a striking end to one of the most generous philanthropic partnerships in modern history.

A Two-Decade Commitment Comes to an End

Buffett’s break with the foundation is especially notable given the depth of his prior commitment. Back in 2006, he “irrevocably” pledged to donate shares in his firm, Berkshire Hathaway, to what was then known as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation every year throughout his lifetime.

That commitment now appears to have quietly ended. On Tuesday, the Gates Foundation was conspicuously absent from the list of organizations set to receive billions of dollars worth of stock from Buffett.

Instead, the stock will be divided among four foundations tied to members of the Buffett family. The 95-year-old investor said he plans to dispose of his remaining shares over the next eight years. Acknowledging the uncertainty of his own timeline, Buffett noted that mortality is unpredictable but affirmed that his remaining shares would be donated to the four family foundations one way or another by December 31, 2034.

The Epstein Connection

The timing of Buffett’s decision is difficult to separate from recent revelations about Gates. Gates’ association with Epstein came to light when the U.S. Department of Justice released files in January.

While Buffett did not mention either Gates or Epstein by name in his statement about the donations, his earlier comments were more revealing. In March, he told CNBC that he had not spoken to Gates since the whole matter was unveiled. He added a pointed remark, saying he did not want to be in a position where he knew things and could be called as a witness.

The scale of what Buffett is stepping away from is enormous. Over the past 20 years, he has donated $47 billion to Gates’ charity.

The Foundation Responds

Despite the loss of such a major benefactor, the Gates Foundation struck a gracious and confident tone. It told the BBC that it was grateful to Warren Buffett for his decades of support for its work.

The foundation also emphasized its financial stability, stating that it continues from a position of strength and is positioned to advance its work through 2045, supported by Bill’s $200 billion commitment. The message suggested that, while Buffett’s departure is significant, it does not threaten the organization’s long-term mission.

Gates Faces Congress

The controversy surrounding Gates escalated earlier this summer. In June, Gates appeared before the U.S. House Oversight Committee to answer questions about his relationship with Epstein, who died in a New York prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

In his testimony, Gates explained how the association began. He said he had been introduced to Epstein in 2011 on the premise that Epstein could help raise billions of dollars for global health, a central focus of the foundation. Gates acknowledged being aware that Epstein had faced prior legal issues but said he did not fully grasp the extent of the crimes Epstein had committed.

Those prior issues were serious. Three years before their introduction, Epstein had pleaded guilty to soliciting a minor for prostitution and procuring a person under the age of 18 for prostitution.

Gates expressed clear regret before the committee. He said he should never have met with Epstein in the first place, adding that based on what he knows now, even if Epstein had delivered the promised donors, it would not have justified the association.

A Partnership Rooted in Philanthropy

The rupture is a poignant turn given the history between the two men. Buffett was once an enthusiastic supporter of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, declaring in 2006 that he greatly admired what it was accomplishing as he promised to make yearly donations.

Their collaboration extended beyond individual giving. In 2010, Bill and Melinda Gates joined Buffett to launch the Giving Pledge, an initiative encouraging the world’s wealthiest people to give away the majority of their fortunes during their lifetimes or in their wills.

The broader Gates story has also seen significant change in recent years. Bill and Melinda Gates divorced in 2021 after 27 years of marriage, and Melinda French Gates resigned in 2024 from the foundation she co-founded, announcing that she would donate $1 billion to support women’s rights in the United States.

The Bottom Line

Warren Buffett’s decision to redirect his fortune away from the Gates Foundation closes a remarkable chapter in the history of American philanthropy. What began as a partnership built on shared admiration and a common mission has been reshaped by the fallout from Gates’ ties to Epstein. While the Gates Foundation insists it remains financially secure and focused on its work, Buffett’s quiet but decisive move speaks volumes about how deeply the Epstein revelations continue to reverberate through even the most established relationships.