00:19Warren Buffett has hit the pause button on one of the biggest philanthropic partnerships in the
00:25world. For the first time in nearly two decades, Buffett is not making his usual mid-year donation of Berkshire
00:34Hathaway shares to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. And the reason has put Bill Gates and the foundation back
00:42under intense scrutiny. According to reports, Buffett is waiting for the outcome of an independent review into the Gates Foundation's
00:51past ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
00:55Since 2006, Buffett has donated around $48 billion worth of Berkshire shares to the foundation, making him one of its
01:05biggest financial supporters. Every year, those donations arrived around June or early July, but not this year.
01:14The external review was commissioned by the Gates Foundation itself and is being conducted by law firm Wilmar Hale. Findings
01:23are expected during the summer of 2026.
01:26People familiar with the matter say Buffett and his aides have been in contact with Gates Foundation leadership, seeking updates
01:34on the review and asking about the organization's past Epstein connections.
01:39Reports also suggest Buffett could delay any decision until later this year, possibly in his annual Thanksgiving letter to shareholders.
01:49This follows Buffett's earlier public comments, where he said he would not commit to future donations while questions linked to
01:57Epstein remained unresolved.
01:58He also said he had never met Jeffrey Epstein, describing him as a sensational con man and expressed relief that
02:07he never had any personal connection with him.
02:10The controversy stems from Bill Gates' documented meetings with Jeffrey Epstein after Epstein's 2008 conviction.
02:18Gates has repeatedly described those meetings as a grave error in judgment, saying they were related to philanthropy discussions.
02:27He has denied any criminal involvement.
02:30Meanwhile, the Gates Foundation announced an external review and significant staff reductions earlier this year, as questions over governance and
02:40reputation continued to grow.
02:42For now, Buffett has not ended his support for the Gates Foundation.
02:47But by delaying his annual donation until the review is complete, he is sending a clear message that accountability and
02:55transparency matter before more money changes hands.
02:59The outcome of the Foundation's independent review is now expected to play a major role in deciding whether Buffett resumes
03:07one of the world's largest annual charitable donations.
03:28Thank you very much.
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