Bill & Melinda Gates — $76 Billion Estate Split

After 27 years of marriage and three children, the Gates announced their divorce in 2021. The split divided a $76 billion estate — though the exact terms remain private. Bill transferred over $6 billion in stocks to Melinda on the day of the announcement. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation ($67 billion endowment) continued operating jointly until Melinda resigned in 2024, receiving $12.5 billion for her own philanthropic work. Reports linked the divorce to Bill's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein and a past affair with a Microsoft employee. The world's most powerful philanthropic partnership dissolved over trust, not money.