Warren Buffett announced Tuesday that he has excluded the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation from his latest round of annual charitable donations. The billionaire investor instead directed approximately $6 billion in Berkshire Hathaway stock to four foundations led by his family members, including the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation and organizations run by his three children.
The decision follows the 2025 release of documents detailing past interactions between Bill Gates and Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender who died in 2019. Buffett stated in an interview with CNBC that he aims to avoid involvement with entities subject to investigation. Gates has previously stated his meetings with Epstein were intended to discuss philanthropic fundraising and has denied knowledge of Epstein's criminal activities.
Buffett also updated his long-term succession plan, stating that all of his remaining Berkshire Hathaway shares, currently valued at over $140 billion, will be donated by the end of 2034. While the Gates Foundation has received more than $61 billion from Buffett since 2006, the investor previously indicated in early 2024 that he would eventually cease donations to the organization.
The Gates Foundation recently appointed an investigator to review the foundation’s past engagements with Epstein and to evaluate future vetting policies. The foundation's board is expected to receive a report on these findings later this summer.