What's Really At Stake During BIll And Melinda Gates' Divorce?
Just three years after Jeff Bezos and his wife, MacKenzie Bezos called it quits, another one of America's power couples announced that they are through. On May 3, Bill Gates and his wife, Melinda Gates, shared the surprising news of their divorce. The pair shared the news on Twitter, stating that after a "great deal of thought" and a lot of work, they decided to end their marriage. "Over the last 27 years, we have raised three incredible children and built a foundation that works all over the world to enable all people to lead healthy, productive lives," their statement read. "We continue to share a belief in that mission and will continue our work together at the foundation, but we no longer believe we can grow together as a couple in the next phase of our lives." The pair also asked for privacy as they navigate the new reality.
According to Forbes, the net worth of Melinda Gates is not public knowledge, but she founded Pivotal Ventures in 2015, and also authored the book "The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changes the World," per Business Today. Bill is worth a cool $130.5 billion, and he still owns a 1.34% stake in Microsoft, even though he stepped down as a board member in 2014. The outlet shares that Bill invested his cash in a few other projects, including advertising company Branded Entertainment Network and, according to People, nuclear reactor design company TerraPower. Keep scrolling to find out what else is at stake in Bill and Melinda's divorce.
Inside Bill and Melinda Gates' High-Profile split
There is a lot to be sorted out in one of the most high-profile divorces we've ever seen. Bill Gates is the fourth richest man in the world, per Forbes, and he has a ton of assets. Bill and Melinda Gates are both parts of one of the largest charity organizations globally, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which had net assets of $43.3 billion at the end of 2019, according to Business Today.
According to divorce papers, Melinda is not seeking spousal support nor child support, but the pair already had a "separation contract" drafted up, which will help split their properties and other assets. The pair's largest home is in Medina, Washington, and costs an estimated $127 million, per Business Insider. The 66,000-foot property boasts 2,500 square feet of gym equipment and a pool with an underwater sound system. According to Realtor, the two also own a 5,800 square foot property in Del Mar, California, which they purchased for $43 million. In addition, they plopped down $12.5 million in 1999 for a mansion in Indian Wells, California, and another $13.5 million for a home in Wellington, Florida. They own another $5 million home in Hobe Sound, Florida, and an $18 million estate in Rancho Santa Fe, California. SuperYachtFan reports that the pair also own a few private planes, a helicopter, and was working on a mega-yacht, per The Telegraph. It just goes to show — more money, more problems!