Warren Buffett omitted the Gates Foundation from his annual Berkshire Hathaway stock donation on Tuesday, directing nearly $6bn of shares to four family‑linked charities.

The 95‑year‑old Warren Buffett said his remaining stake would be transferred to the same family foundations within eight years, aiming to dispose of all Berkshire shares by December 31, 2034.

The decision follows revelations about Bill Gates’ ties to Jeffrey Epstein, which emerged from U.S. Justice Department materials. Buffett previously stated he had not spoken to Gates since the scandal broke and avoided being called as a witness. Mark Suzman, chief executive of the Gates Foundation, described the communications with Epstein as “deeply unsettling and depressing.”

Buffett has given more than $40bn to the Gates Foundation over the years, including a large gift last year, but in 2024 signaled his future wealth would go to a family foundation. He also donated $4bn to an Omaha foundation named for his late wife and $500mn to three children’s foundations. The Gates Foundation did not immediately comment.