Jeff Bezos divorced after 25 years of marriage to MacKenzie Scott, who launched a vast philanthropic initiative with her money from the divorce settlement
Jeff Bezos divorced after 25 years of marriage to MacKenzie Scott, who launched a vast philanthropic initiative with her money from the divorce settlement GETTY / Jerod Harris

KEY POINTS

  • Scott shares three boys and one adopted daughter with Bezos
  • She became extremely wealthy in 2019 after divorcing the Amazon founder
  • With a net worth of $35 billion, Scott is the fifth richest woman in the world

MacKenzie Scott, the ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, is currently the 30th richest person in the world, having a net worth of $35 billion. But just like other business moguls, such as Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, she won't be leaving all of her wealth to her kids.

In 2019, Scott signed the Giving Pledge, committing to give away the majority of her fortune to charitable causes.

"I have no doubt that tremendous value comes when people act quickly on the impulse to give. No drive has more positive ripple effects than the desire to be of service," she stated in her Giving Pledge letter.

"In addition to whatever assets life has nurtured in me, I have a disproportionate amount of money to share. My approach to philanthropy will continue to be thoughtful. It will take time and effort and care. But I won't wait. And I will keep at it until the safe is empty," Scott added.

Scott, who shares three boys and one adopted daughter with Bezos, became extremely wealthy in 2019 after divorcing the latter and receiving 25% of Bezos' Amazon shares, equating to roughly 4% of the company.

Between June 2021 and March 2022, Scott donated nearly $4 billion to nonprofits, including Boys and Girls Clubs of America, Planned Parenthood and Habitat for Humanity International. In total, her shell company Lost Horse has donated at least $12 billion to more than 1,200 charitable groups, as per CNBC.

Earlier this month, several news outlets reported that Scott donated two Beverly Hills mansions worth $55 million to the California Community Foundation (CCF), a nonprofit philanthropic organization based in Los Angeles.

The proceeds of the sale of the properties will go toward "affordable housing projects and an immigrant integration program," according to CCF.

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Scott currently stands as the fifth richest woman in the world.

The four women richer than her are Francoise Bettencourt Meyers, who has a net worth of $67.8 billion; Alice Walton, who has a net worth of $56.3 billion; Julia Koch, who has a net worth of $55.2 billion; and Jacqueline Mars, who has a net worth of $36.3 billion.

Bezos' net worth stands at $142 billion. He is currently the fourth richest man in the world.

Amazon billionaire MacKenzie Scott now lives in Seattle with her new husand Dan, according to her Amazon page
Amazon billionaire MacKenzie Scott now lives in Seattle with her new husand Dan, according to her Amazon page dpa / JORG CARSTENSEN
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