Bill and Melinda Gates call it quits after 27 years of marriage, confirmed by The Gates on their Twitter accounts, on May 4. 

The pair have three children together and are founders of The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which has been responsible for helping communities in need for decades. 

Citing that they no longer “‘believe we can grow together as a couple in this next phase of our lives.”, the couple asked for privacy through their official statement via Twitter, while they figure out what will happen to all of their assets. 

However, a Wall Street Journal article, citing sources close to the couple, reported that Bill Gates’ connection to Jeffery Epstein caused an irreparable crack in the marriage. Gates has publicly apologized for “poor judgment” in regards to his pictures and appearances with Epstein. According to the sources, Gates was known to have spent “long nights” at Epstein’s mansions.

According to the report, Melinda Gates began the process of filing for divorce in October of 2019, when news first broke of Bill Gates’ connection to Jeffery Epstein. None of these statements have been independently confirmed, but cast serious questions over the true reason for the Gates’ divorce. 

Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft, is estimated to hold hundreds of Billions of dollars in Microsoft shares, and he has pledged to give most of it away throughout his life. However, through the divorce, Bill and Melinda may be forced to share many of their assets, which could pave the way for Melinda Gates to create her own philanthropist organization. 

The philanthropy world may be turned upside down. Since its founding in 2008, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has been the biggest Philanthropic organization, giving billions of dollars to different groups and causes. However, with the amount of money Melinda Gates is expected to receive through divorce proceedings, she will be able to create a new organization that she exclusively runs, leading a shift in the hierarchy in the world of philanthropy. 

The divorce of the Gates comes almost two years after the divorce of fellow billionaire Jeff and MacKenzie Bezos. MacKenzie Bezos became a billionaire after the divorce and has been widely praised for her donations to charity since acquiring the fortune. 

This story is developing, and updates will be made via Twitter.