Omaha, Jul 16 (V7N)- Billionaire investor Warren Buffett has announced that he will no longer make future donations to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, ending a philanthropic partnership that has lasted nearly two decades.
According to the announcement, the foundation established by Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates was not included among the organizations that will receive Buffett's latest multibillion-dollar charitable donations. Instead, the Berkshire Hathaway shares will be distributed among four foundations associated with members of the Buffett family.
Buffett first pledged in 2006 to donate Berkshire Hathaway shares annually to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation during his lifetime. Over the past 20 years, he has donated approximately 47 billion US dollars to the foundation.
The 95-year-old investor also said he plans to donate all of his remaining Berkshire Hathaway shares within the next eight years.
The announcement comes amid renewed public attention surrounding reports detailing Bill Gates' past association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. However, Buffett did not publicly state in his announcement that this was the reason for ending future donations.
No immediate response was available from the Gates Foundation regarding Buffett's latest decision.
END/SMA/AJ