Bill Gates donates nearly $8 billion to ex-wife Melinda five years after their divorce over his cheating and 'ties' to Epstein

Mr Gates, once the world's richest man and CEO of Microsoft, made the donation to Melinda French Gates' Pivotal Philanthropies Foundation in 2024, according to The New York Times.

Melinda stepped down from The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation that they ran together in May 2024, and suggested her ex-husband donate $12.5 billion to her new charity which works to advance social progress for women.

A representative for women's advocacy group Pivotal confirmed that the $12.5billion agreement has been fulfilled, and this donation worth $7.88 billion was part of the agreement.

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The donation was listed on his most recent tax filing, but it is unclear how the rest of the $12.5billion agreement was split and where the donations were made.

The couple married in 1994 and had three children together before they split in 2021.

It was considered to be the most expensive divorce settlement in history with Melinda reportedly netting $76 billion in assets.

Mr Gates' affair with a Microsoft employee came to light months later after the woman wrote to the company’s board of directors in 2019 lifting the lid on their fling which began in 2000.

Melinda previously claimed that her ex-husband's friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was a reason behind their split.

Reports suggested he had been acquaintances with Epstein, after first meeting him in 2011.

Mr Gates later denied any association and said he only met with him a few times to discuss philanthropy, which he described as a "mistake."

He was among a number of celebrities to appear in photographs linked to Epstein's entourage, released last month.

Epstein does not appear in the two pictures Gates is in.