Warren Buffett Holds Back Gates Foundation Gift as Bill Gates Faces Epstein Scrutiny
Warren Buffett is delaying his usual midyear donation to the Gates Foundation while the organization reviews past contacts tied to Jeffrey Epstein, according to reporting first published by The Wall Street Journal and summarized by Reuters and Forbes.
The delay is significant because Buffett has been one of the foundation’s defining donors for nearly two decades. The Gates Foundation says Buffett contributed $47.9 billion from 2006 through 2025, helping build an institution that reported an $89 billion endowment and $8.5 billion in charitable support in 2025.
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The foundation says Buffett’s 2006 pledge transformed its work, allowing it to expand long-term bets in global health and poverty reduction.
The practical consequence is reputational and financial: even a delay from Buffett signals donor caution at a time when Gates’ past Epstein contacts are under scrutiny. Gates has said he supports release of Epstein files and wants justice for survivors.
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