Details have come to light regarding the massive divorce settlement between billionaire Bill Gates and his former wife, Melinda, revealing a staggering payout of nearly $8 billion.
The divorce proceedings for the couple commenced in 2021. As part of the settlement, in 2024, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates made a substantial donation of $7.88 billion to Melinda’s charity, the Pivotal Philanthropies Foundation, as disclosed by financial documents obtained by the New York Times.
Throughout the divorce process, Gates’s fortune has significantly decreased, marking the divorce as one of the most costly ever recorded.
Overall, Melinda Gates received a $76 billion settlement from the divorce.
A significant portion of this settlement has been directed towards Melinda’s independent charitable activities, with Bill’s nearly $8 billion contribution forming just one part of the funds allocated to initiatives aimed at improving women’s lives and supporting struggling families.
An additional $4 billion is expected to have been given to similar charities over the ensuing years, as the settlement involved a commitment to donate $12.5 billion to such causes. A representative for Pivotal Philanthropies confirmed that Bill’s ‘agreement has been fulfilled.’
In the same year that Bill provided the $8 billion donation to his ex-wife’s foundation, Melinda announced her decision to step back from the foundation she co-founded with Bill, now known simply as the Gates Foundation.
In a statement made in 2024, Melinda explained: “This is not a decision I came to lightly.
“I am immensely proud of the foundation that Bill and I built together, and of the extraordinary work it is doing to address inequities around the world.”
She emphasized the positive impact Bill’s substantial donation would have on women and girls globally, noting: “This is a critical moment for women and girls in the U.S., and around the world-and those fighting to protect and advance equality are in urgent need of support.”
Following the divorce, Melinda described the conclusion of their 30-year marriage as ‘painful’ but necessary, as the relationship ‘wasn’t healthy’ and they ‘couldn’t trust’ its viability.
Bill expressed deep regret over the dissolution of his marriage and Melinda’s decision to step back from the charitable foundation they had jointly developed into the largest of its kind worldwide, second only to the Catholic Church.
He remarked to the Times: “When we got divorced it was tough and then she made the decision to leave the foundation — I was disappointed that she took the option to go off.”