Billionaire investor Warren Buffett has reportedly paused his significant annual donation to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for the first time in over two decades. The decision is reportedly linked to an internal review investigating the foundation's connections to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Buffett, 95, has consistently provided a midyear donation valued in the billions of dollars in Berkshire Hathaway stock to the Gates Foundation as part of a long-standing pledge. According to The Wall Street Journal, he intends to wait for the conclusion of an internal review into the foundation's ties to Epstein before deciding whether to continue the gifts.
The review is being conducted by the law firm WilmerHale and is expected to release its findings in the summer. Sources cited by the Journal indicate that Buffett will likely defer his decision until he publishes his annual Thanksgiving letter to shareholders.
The potential cessation of Buffett's donations represents a substantial financial impact on the Gates Foundation, which is among the world's largest philanthropic organizations. From 2006 to 2025, Buffett contributed approximately $48 billion to the foundation. The organization focuses on combating poverty, disease, and inequality globally.
This development follows recent scrutiny of Bill Gates' relationship with Epstein. Gates testified before Congress earlier this month, where he admitted to several extramarital affairs. He has consistently denied any wrongdoing related to Epstein but acknowledged that Epstein leveraged knowledge of these affairs to attempt to coerce him into continuing their association after Gates ended contact in 2014.
Buffett's close association with the Gates Foundation began in 2006 when he donated roughly $1.5 billion in Berkshire Hathaway stock. He stated at the time that this marked the beginning of a lifetime commitment to donate the majority of his fortune to charity, with the Gates Foundation receiving the largest portion. The substantial gift enabled the Gates Foundation to immediately increase its charitable giving, and Buffett also joined the foundation's board of trustees.
Buffett and Gates maintained a close personal and professional relationship for many years, with Gates serving on the Berkshire Hathaway board from 2004 to 2020. Buffett stepped down as a Gates Foundation trustee in 2021, coinciding with the announcement of Bill Gates' divorce from Melinda French Gates.
In March, Buffett indicated that the Epstein scandal had strained his friendship with Gates, noting that they had not spoken since the release of the Epstein Files in December. Buffett told CNBC that he was prioritizing his own reputation, stating he did not want to be in a position where he possessed knowledge that could lead to him being called as a witness. He added, "I think until it gets cleared up, it doesn’t make sense to do a lot of talking."