Warren Buffett, the chairman of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE:BRK), has reportedly chosen to delay his usual midyear donation to the Gates Foundation, the philanthropic organization founded by Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) co-founder Bill Gates and his ex-wife, Melinda French Gates.
This marks the first time in twenty years that such a postponement has occurred, reported The Wall Street Journal on Monday. Buffett’s decision to hold off on the donation is pending the outcome of a review into the foundation’s links with late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The findings of this review, expected to be released later this summer, will inform Buffett’s final decision, which could be announced in his annual Thanksgiving letter, as per the report.
Buffett and his team have been consulting with the Gates Foundation’s leadership, including CEO Mark Suzman, during its ongoing review. Since 2006, Buffett has donated over $43 billion to the Gates Foundation as part of a “lifetime” pledge.
Berkshire Hathaway and the Gates Foundation did not immediately respond to Benzinga’s request for comments.
Buffett Cites Legal Concerns
In March, Buffett said he had not spoken to Bill Gates since the release of the Epstein Files, marking his first public comments on the matter. Despite their decades-long friendship and shared philanthropic efforts, Buffett said he has avoided contact, adding that he does not want to be in a position where he knows information that could require him to testify as a witness.
“I think until it gets cleared up, it doesn’t make sense to do a lot of talking,” said Buffett.
Buffett said he and Gates shared a strong relationship and that Gates treated him exceptionally well. However, the legendary investor emphasized that his role in Gates’ philanthropic work was limited to providing funding, adding that he prefers to avoid recounting decades-old interactions in a legal setting.
Emails and photos released by the DOJ and Congress since late 2025 have shed light on Bill Gates’ ties with Epstein. In June testimony before the House Oversight Committee, Gates called meeting Epstein a “grave error in judgment,” denied witnessing or participating in any criminal conduct, and said he only learned Epstein was a registered sex offender in 2018 after the Miami Herald investigation into his 2008 plea deal.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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