Ammon News - A bit of new information has emerged about how Bill Gates and ex-wife Melinda French Gates divided up their assets and charity work in the wake of their billion-dollar divorce.

In 2024, Bill gave nearly $8 billion to his ex-wife Melinda French Gates as part of a previously reported agreement following their split and her departure from their eponymous philanthropic foundation, PEOPLE can confirm.

The $7.88 billion donation was made by the Microsoft co-founder due to his settlement with his now-ex wife, according to The New York Times, which first reported the news, citing new tax records.

The donation, considered one of the largest charitable contributions ever made public, was made to Pivotal Philanthropies Foundation, which was started by Melinda in 2022.

A spokesperson from Pivotal says the donation was agreed upon by Bill and Melinda when she left the Gates Foundation to focus on her own charities.

It's considered part of $12.5 billion she was promised to help her work with women and families. It's not clear when the remainder of that money was donated — presumably in 2025 or 2026 — though the Pivotal spokeswoman says, "The agreement has been fulfilled."

People