2019 has been a rocky year for the power couple Jeff and MacKenzie Bezos who recently made headlines following an explosive Twitter post announcing their split.
The news of their sudden divorce took the world by storm and many were left speculating the reason behind their separation after being together for 25 years.
However, the National Enquirer put the speculations to an end by blowing the cover off Bezos’ secret love affair with television anchor, Lauren Sanchez.
The cheating might have been a huge blow to MacKenzie but the divorce made her the fourth-richest woman on the planet, whereas stripping Bezos of the title of the richest man in the world.
According to sources, MacKenzie settled the divorce process with an astounding $37 billion! How is she planning to spend her massive wealth? It turns out she’ll donate it to those who are in need!
The Pledge
According to sources, MacKenzie Bezos joined The Giving Pledge movement founded by wealthy tech billionaires like Bill and Melinda Gates. Last Tuesday, the renowned novelist announced that she’s pledging half of her wealth — $18.5 billion to be exact — to support various charities and philanthropic causes.
Aside from MacKenzie Bezos, Paul Tudor Jones, a billionaire hedge fund manager, also pledged a large donation to the movement together with his wife. Tudor’s estimated net worth is around $5 billion, according to Forbes’ report. MacKenzie’s recent announcement has raised even more concerns among Jeff Bezos’ critics regarding his lack of involvement in philanthropic causes.
Sharing Is Caring
While the divorce settlement allows Jeff Bezos to retain his 75% share in Amazon, McKenzie walked away with an astounding $37 billion worth in the company stock. MacKenzie’s profit from Amazon raised her rank in Bloomberg’s Billionaire Index to 22nd place. Meanwhile, her ex-husband still holds the top spot as the world’s richest man with an astounding $114 billion net worth.
In an open letter to her fans, MacKenzie wrote that she’s thankful for the bountiful blessings and wealth she has received in life. And since she now has more money than she could ever need, it’s her moral obligation to share her fortune with those in need. It prompted her to join the pledge and support the causes close to her heart.
MacKenzie also assured the public that this is just the start of her philanthropic causes. She knows it’ll take time and effort to see the fruits of her labor in the form of a happier, more prosperous society. However, MacKenzie chooses not to wait; she promises to keep supporting Giving Pledge as long as she has the resources and means to do so.
The Growing Members
With MacKenzie’s announcement, she became part of a prestigious international charity comprised of 204 prominent billionaires from over 23 countries. These philanthropists pledge to give away half of their wealth while they’re still alive.
Some of the tech billionaires who joined the cause include Brian Acton of WhatsApp who now has $4 billion in net worth. Brian Armstrong also joined the pledge together with Warren Buffett and Mark Zuckerberg.
Day One Fund
While Jeff Bezos has yet to join the prestigious pledge, he’s gearing up on establishing his own charity named Day One Fund. The organization aims to build preschool buildings and homes to help the impoverished.
