Warren Buffett has decided to pause his usual billion-dollar donations to the Gates Foundation, awaiting the results of an investigation into the foundation’s connections with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Epstein died in 2019, according to reports from the Wall Street Journal and Reuters.
The Gates Foundation has been under scrutiny due to its association with Bill Gates, its president, and Epstein. In January, the U.S. Department of Justice released emails revealing communications between Epstein and Gates Foundation employees.
Mark Suzman, the CEO of the Gates Foundation, initiated an external investigation to assess the foundation’s past relationships with Epstein, with results expected to be released this summer.
Buffett plans to delay his decision on the donation until later this year, potentially until the publication of his Thanksgiving letter, as reported by the WSJ, citing sources familiar with Buffett’s intentions.
The 95-year-old chairman of Berkshire Hathaway has donated over $47 billion in shares of the conglomerate to the Gates Foundation over the past two decades.
Bill Gates, 70, has faced damage to his reputation following the release of documents related to Epstein by the Department of Justice in February. Gates has not been charged with any crime and has repeatedly expressed regret for his past associations with Epstein, denying any involvement with Epstein’s victims.
