The billionaire couple is making headlines for something other than business innovation and philanthropy after announcing their divorce.
As with most divorces, it appears that Melinda Gates’s decision to divorce Microsoft founder Bill Gates did not come out of thin air. The Wall Street Journal reports that she has been meeting with divorce lawyers as early as 2019, went Bill’s connection to child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein became public.
It’s common knowledge that most people have to try multiple times to leave a relationship before they are officially done. Celebrities are no exception. Melinda met with a divorce attorney in Ontario roughly two years before she actually filed for divorce. The reason cited was that their 25-year marriage was “irretrievably broken.”
Last month, they announced they were ending their marriage. In a joint statement posted on Twitter, they stated that they “no longer believe [they] can grow together as a couple in this next phase of [their] lives.”
The couple hasn’t told the public exactly what prompted the permanent split. Many think that Melinda is concerned with Bill’s close proximity to Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender who abused and encouraged the abuse of underage girls on his private island. Insiders say that Melinda had been concerned about the Epstein relationship as far back as 2013, which is several years before the scandalous story became public.
Like many of Epstein’s contacts, Bill has claimed ignorance about the billionaire’s pedophilic interests. The Wall Street Journal asked Bill about his relationship with Epstein back in 2019, and he said “I met him. I didn’t have any business relationship or friendship with him.” Evidence says the contrary, as Bill stayed at least one night at Epstein’s townhome.
One of the biggest areas of public interest has been the issue of property division. There are billions of dollars worth of property and assets between the couple, and they are in the process of mediating the division.
Records from May report that the couple has agreed to a separation contract to divide their $130 billion fortune, including their lakeside compound in Washington state, a rare authentic Leonardo da Vinci notebook, and investments in Microsoft and Four Seasons Hotels.
Despite their split, the couple plans to remain co-chairs of the Gates Foundation.
Divorce is something even billionaires can’t avoid. Contact a lawyer for family issues if you live in Toronto and are pursuing a divorce from your spouse.
