Buffett Skips Gates Foundation After Epstein Disclosures

Billionaire investor Warren Buffett has said he will not include the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in his annual charitable giving after new disclosures linked the Microsoft co-founder to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

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In a statement released Tuesday, Buffett said he would donate about $6 billion to four foundations connected to his own family. He did not mention the Gates Foundation in the announcement, which follows renewed public attention on Epstein after the release of related court materials.

Donations and end-date for Buffett’s remaining shares

Buffett also outlined a change to how his remaining wealth will be given away. He said his remaining shares of Berkshire Hathaway, worth nearly $146 billion, will be donated to the four foundations by December 31, 2034.

He previously had planned for his three children to distribute his remaining fortune within 10 years after his death. Buffett said Tuesday that timing is uncertain, but insisted the donations would still be completed by the end of 2034.

“Of course, mortality is unpredictable, but my remaining shares will be donated to the four foundations one way or the other by December 31, 2034,” he said. He added that the aim is for grants managed by his children to grow year by year, and for the annual grant to the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation to increase at a somewhat higher rate.

Buffett’s statement came as CNBC said he is scheduled to give the US business network an exclusive interview on the matter on Wednesday morning. The Gates Foundation and Buffett did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Tuesday.

Gates, Epstein and review of the foundation’s past

Buffett has long directed substantial parts of his giving to the Gates Foundation. Since he announced plans to distribute his fortune in 2006, more than $61 billion in gifts have gone to the Gates Foundation, including regular transfers of Berkshire Hathaway stock and donations from Buffett’s family foundations.

The relationship between Gates and Epstein has been scrutinised again following the disclosure of court materials. Gates has denied any knowledge of Epstein’s crimes and has not been accused of wrongdoing. He has said he met Epstein because he believed it would help him raise money for charitable causes.

Epstein, who was accused of sexually abusing dozens of underage girls, was found dead at a Manhattan federal detention facility in August 2019. New York City’s medical examiner later ruled his death a suicide.

The Gates Foundation said it hired someone in March to assess its past engagement with Epstein and to review policies for vetting future partnerships. Gates and other board members are expected to receive an update on the assessment during the summer, the foundation said.

Court documents tied to a Justice Department investigation into Epstein include references to Gates, including email correspondence about philanthropic projects, calendar entries recording meetings, and photographs of Gates at events attended by the two men.

Buffett’s past comments and earlier dispute

Buffett previously said in 2024 that he would cut off donations to the Gates Foundation after his death, allowing his children to decide how to distribute the remainder of his fortune. The decision announced Tuesday accelerates the shift for the annual donations while he is still alive.

Buffett and Gates were close friends for years, speaking often, playing bridge online and taking vacations together. Gates served on Berkshire’s board for years, and Buffett sat on the board of the Gates Foundation. Buffett told CNBC in March that he had not spoken with Gates for months before the Epstein files were released in the autumn of 2025.

In earlier years, Buffett defended Gates publicly. Three years ago, Buffett cut off a man who tried to question Gates’ character during a Berkshire shareholder meeting, citing Epstein ties. The man, Peter Flaherty, was arrested for trespassing despite being approved to make the presentation; charges were later dropped, and a lawsuit stemming from the incident is still pending.

Buffett told CNBC in March that it was “astounding” how someone could succeed as a con person, adding that he did not want to be involved with anything that could be investigated later. He also said he was glad Epstein never came to Omaha, where he has lived for more than six decades.

Buffett stepped down as Berkshire Hathaway chief executive in January after 60 years at the helm, but remains chairman and the largest shareholder. Greg Abel is now CEO.

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15 July 2026

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